


You break it we fix it

by GC4life, Smiles4Voltron



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: A person for everyone, Alternate take, EVERYONE - Freeform, Everyone will have a happy ending, F YOU RIKA, Multi, We might have made Yoosung Bi??, Whoop Whoop, not sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2018-12-31 19:26:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 37,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12139449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GC4life/pseuds/GC4life, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smiles4Voltron/pseuds/Smiles4Voltron
Summary: A crazy band of friends find a phone.Phone leads to a precarious house.Precarious house leads to another crazy band of friends who are falling apart.Both crazy bands of friends bond.Bond means love.Love means fuck you Rika, we're all happy here.And a bomb.You can't forget the bomb.





	1. Gives me the willies

**Author's Note:**

> This an OC story.  
> I did this with my sister and It was funnnnnnnnnn  
> And crazy.  
> We both agreed that it sucked that if you picked one person the rest were left to rot with their problems.  
> So here you go! 
> 
>  
> 
> The story where everyone is happy. EVERYONE.  
> ....except probably Rika. If she goes through therapy she might get a chance, but till then- nah man. It's... It's hard. V needs love. Good love. V will get love. Somehow.....
> 
> hehe

It had been years since I held a cell phone in my hands, so one can imagine my surprise when a small black device began to buzz next to me. I had been out with my friends, having only sat down on a bench for a moment to tie my shoes. 

Startled by the buzzing sound next to me I hesitantly reached over to pluck up the sleek device laying on the bench, feeling it’s weight upon my hand. Curiously tipping it from side to side, I look around wondering who it could belong to. 

“Mark, is this yours?” I inquire. 

“Yes.” he says before even fully turning around to see what I held up. Being the Klepto I knew he was, I retracted my hand when he reached out to grab it. 

“No, it isn’t.” I frown. 

“But I said yes.” he wiggles his fingers longingly, “Look how nice that phone is.”

“It isn’t yours.”

“It could be.” he whines, “All you have to do is put it in my hand.”

“No. Does it belong to you guys?” I ask the others. The others in my gaggle of companions scan the phone dully. 

“Never seen it in my life. Nada. It is not.” they chorus. 

“Does it belong to anyone else?” I tilt my head. 

“It’s not Mark’s, that is for sure.” Nicole snickered. 

“Aww, come on!’ He says, “Give me a chance~”

“It must be a locked phone.” Shizuka, the most rational and level headed of the group, suggested. “Check to see if it is unlocked- we can call someone within the contacts and have them pick up the phone.” she says. 

I fumble with the device, not sure how the odd contraption worked, “How do you- how do you do that?” I ask. 

“Press the button. The big one in the middle.” Nicole says, leaning down, allowing her red hair to cascade over her shoulder. “This.” she presses it for me, and the phone turns on. I almost drop the device when the black screens fills with rows of green writing, almost like some strange code. 

“What the-” Nicole frowns at the sight. 

**Unknown has entered the chatroom.**

Then, a bubble pops up, reading a peculiar message, “ **_...Hello…?”_ **

Nicole steps back and lifts her hands as if to say,  _ Nope, forget that shit. _

_ “ _ Someone texted me.” I mumble. 

“It is probably the owner trying to locate the phone.” Shizuka sighs, “Text them back.”

Confused why the one with zero phone experience has to be in charge of the situation, I struggle to figure out the mechanics of  _ texting.  _ Managing to locate the reply button, I click it and send a question mark to  **Unknown.**

They reply back instantly saying, “ **_Can you see this?”_ **

I nod my head and do nothing. Avelia, the second male of our group of 5, sits next to me, wrapping a friendly arm around my shoulder, “They can’t see you nod, sweetheart.” he chuckles. 

Flustered, I cover my mouth and text back, “ _ Yes! Sorry, I nodded! I can see this!” _

_ “ _ **_...Finally connected. Thank god. It’s not everyday you get a text from a stranger. I’m a bit flustered myself. I found a smartphone at a subway station, but all it had was this messenger app. I want to find the owner but I don’t see any contact info or call records. I’ve been sending messages with this app, but got no reply. All I see is an Address and some important looking numbers saved in notes. I’d like to go myself but I’m currently Abroad…”_ **

Shizuka frowned in confusion, not quite understanding how any of that sentence made sense to her. This person found the phone, then left it, just to text later and have someone else return it? 

“Oh, well I thought this app was for chatting with pretty boys.” Nicole slurs jokingly. 

“Oh my gosh, Nicole.” I blush, “You can’t just say that to strangers.”

“He seems pretty chummy, so I don’t see the harm.” she shrugs. 

“An Address?” Shizuka moves to join us on the bench, her natural curiosity getting the best of her. 

“Guys, we should probably ask who the person is first.” Mark holds up his hands. 

I blink a few times then perk up, “Oh yeah! Common sense! Ask who they are.” I type into the messenger, “ _ First… who are you?” _

**_“A student going Abroad. My name isn’t really important- just the phone. Listen, There is a Korean street address and a long number. I think it is a password for something. Do you mind going to the Address? That’s all saved in the phone.”_ **

“Everyone’s name is important.” I frown. 

“Arinna- your first instinct should not be to compliment the weird person on the other end of the phone.” Mark scolds softly. 

“Well he might be nice and just trying to help.” 

“Naive people like you are the reason we need the police force, Arinna.” Shizuka pinches the bridge of her nose. 

“...Is that a good thing?” I ask. No one answers and we look back down at the phone. 

“ **_I know you’re surprised to have someone suddenly pop up and ask you a favor like this. But still… I would appreciate it if you could help.”_ **

“Why is this guy so obsessed with this?” Mark questions, “I mean, there are easier ways to go about this. You drop it off at the post office, or the police station…. Or you just keep it- which is what I think we should do.” he wiggles his eyebrows.

“You aren’t taking the phone, Mark.” Avelia shakes his head. Mark clutches his heart, looking heartbroken. 

“Why should we even help? If the guy was the one to find it, why did he just leave it here for someone else to find? He should have just taken it there himself.” Nicole agrees. 

“I for one wonder why he talks to us as if we are friends despite not even knowing our faces.” Shizuka folds her arms. 

“ _ How can I help?”  _ I type to  **Unknown.** The others almost fall out of their seats. 

“ARINNA!” they yell. 

“What??” I demand. 

“Why did you say that?! None of us wanted to help him!” Nicole screams. 

“I don’t mind returning the phone.” Avelia raises his hand. 

“You shut up, you have been nothing but difficult today.” she turns to him. 

Avelia looks offended, “That isn’t fair! How was I supposed to know that you aren’t allowed to bring a pig onto a public bus?! I wasn’t just going to leave Piggles at home alone.” said piglet was resting at his feet, snorting quietly. Piggles was Avelia's pet pig he had brought with him from his family farm. It was living with him in secret at his dormitory in college. How his room mate had yet to discover this, they shall never know. 

“It is common knowledge that you can’t!” Nicole barked at him. She loved the pig like her own child, but there had to be a limit. 

“Even I knew that.” I agree softly. “And my knowledge is- well- I know not much.” I say

“Yeah, Arinna not know much.” The others says with equally bad grammar. 

**_“I would really like to find the owner. Then God will be happy.”_ ** There was a small pause, “ **_OH! Sorry, I didn’t mention it before, but I am religious. Never mind what I just said. I’m sorry if I weirded you out. Can you please help me? I’ll make it up to you if I ever get to go back to Korea.”_ **

“Alright look…” Mark sighs, “I don’t want to judge someone when they suddenly speak of religion- but if you’ve seen movies, it is common knowledge that if a stranger suddenly wants you to do something and then subtly brings up their religions, it usually means something cult related. Usually. Not always! But usually.” 

“Agreed!’ Nicole says quickly, “Agreed with the cult theory. I’ve seen those movies. I don’t want to be a main character in that kind of movie. The black girl always dies first and I will not be the sacrifice!”

All of us pause when  **Unknown** texts again, “ **_It’s really a safe place. If you feel unsafe you can turn around. I know the area- it is developed. Please?”_ **

Nicole says, “No! This is creepy.”

‘I say we go. We’ll leave if it’s sketchy.”

“Mark.” Nicole hits him. 

“Wha- we could be rewarded!” he insists. 

“Or just politely thanked.” Avelia shrugs, not really caring for either option. 

“We could take a vote.” I offer. 

“That is a wise choice, all in favor of going?” Shizuka scans the group. She raised her own hand in the process, obviously curious about the situation. 

I had raised my hand along with Mark and Avelia. 

It was four to one at this point and obvious that we would be going, but then Nicole says, “Shizuka, every time you get curious about something, that is when everything goes to hell.”

“Oooh.” I lower my hand in realization, “Yeah, that is true.”

“There is a curse that follows you Shizuka.” Avelia grows a little pale and lowers his hand. 

“Hah! Three to two!” Nicole snickers, “We aren’t going-” she trailed off at the sound of a message being sent. Feeling a bit of a weight on my hand, I’m shocked to see Mark leaning over towards me and typing onto the phone. 

He replied to  **Unknown** saying, “ _ Fine, but I ditch if it feels sketchy.” _

“MARK!” Nicole lunges at him. 

“It’s too late…” he chokes as her hands wrap around his throat, “We’ve made a commitment!”

“ **_You trust me…”_ ** **Unknown** replies back, “ **_Thank you! Just a sec, I’ll send you the address! Found it!’_ ** An attachment pops up below and I’m hesitant to open it. 

“Well… should we?”

Shizuka’s frown is heavy, “I found it odd that he was so surprised you trust him… in fact this whole situation is odd. We should go.”

“You find it odd but want to go?’ Avelia asks incredulously. 

“It could be a kidnapper's ploy.” she nods. 

“I repeat, You wanna go???” 

“If we don’t, someone else might. There are five of us, it will be fine.” 

Nicole grabs her arm to stop her, “There could be ten of them.” 

She smirks slightly, “Unlikely. Not with this kind of ploy. In this type of situation they would lure us one at a time to an unsuspecting location. If there were ten people this would be more organized and they would be after us for a specific reason. None of you have anything worthwhile, so I doubt that is the case.”

Avelia slowly lifts a hand, "You didn't add yourself into that sentence."

"No I did not," she nods

Avelia lifts his other hand, "Meaning, this person could be after you.... Ms. wanted detective who many,  _many,_ people hate," 

She hums thoughtfully, "It is a possibility," 

Nicole couldn’t believe her ears, “You’re crazy, you know that?”

“I’ve been told.” she motions with a finger for us to follow. Not having anything else to do but return to my van today, I got up and chased after her. 

“Come on, Nicole! It could be an adventure!”

She groans when Mark and Avelia tug her by the arms, “I don’t like adventures.” she yells down when Avelia’s pig runs between her leg. “Does the pig have to come too?!”

“Of course!” Avelia cheers. “He is our mighty defender!”

The pig snorted heroically.

* * *

 

**0000--- Location: Creepy apartment. Arinna’s P.O.V.----0000**

* * *

 

“We’re here.” I state the obvious.

“This is sketchy.” Nicole grumbles. 

“No it isn’t. This is a nice place.” Avelia shakes his head. 

“Well then you make it sketchy, you big behemoth.” she nudges him. Granted, anywhere Avelia went he tended to get stares with how big of a presence he was. Tall, buff, he was quite the spectacle. 

“Rude.” he sniffed, hurt. He was also quite the softy. 

“This is indeed the correct address however.” Shizuka glances down at the door, raising a brow at the code needed to enter the apartment. “It requires a password.” she notes. 

“What kind of door requires a password?” I ask. 

“One guarding a lot of valuables.” Mark has a twinkle in his eye. 

‘Hold on.” I lift up the phone when it started to vibrate. 

“ **_Are you there? ^^ See nothing strange? Is there a password lock on the door?”_ **

Nicole’s arm wraps around me and texts, “ _ Hmm. Don’t see one.” _

I gasp, “Nicole.” I scold, “You shouldn’t lie.”

“ **_That’s strange. There’s really nothing? There’s nothing to put in the password?”_ **

She snickers, and continues to type as I try and wiggle out of her grasp. “ _ Nope~” _

“Nicole.” Shizuka hits her away. 

Before  **Unknown** can reply with anything else, I quickly type, “ _ Sorry! No no. Jk. I can see it.” _

**_“Oh. Okay, good. I’ll send you the digits. Try it.”_ **

He sends me the code a second later. Staring at it, I pause, “He sent me a code that I think goes to the door.”   


"Well how does he know it goes to the door?” Avelia inquires. 

“Yeah,” Mark is already pulling out his lock pick set. Shizuka takes them from him, giving him a warning look. 

“I dunno.” I say, “S-Should we knock first?”

“Duh.” Nicole snorts. With that said, Shizuka gives the door a good hard knock. There is no answer. 

“We have no choice.” Mark insists, though he really just wants to see what is on the other side. Sighing I type in the code, feeling nervous when I heard the click. Quietly opening the door, I glanced at the others. 

“ _ The door is open.”   _ I text to  **Unknown.**

“ **_Good. Why don’t you go inside?”_ **

We froze at the sound of a gun clicking off of safety behind us. “Wha- is that a gun?!” We demand, pointing fingers at Shizuka. 

She gives us a shocked look, “What?” she asks, as if this shouldn’t be something that surprised us. 

“Who gave you a gun??” we demand. 

“I am a private investigator, I have the right to bare arms.” she explains. 

Nicole slowly lifts up her arms and takes a deep breath, “If you feel the need to pull that out, then we are  _ not  _ going in there.”

“It will be fine.” she insists, “This is just- safety measures.”

“You shouldn’t need safety measures to enter a house!”

As everyone started yelling at each other, my hands shook against the phone and I texted, “ _ Can I just enter a stranger’s house?” _

**_“You can just leave a note. I’ll send you my info. If something happens you can just show my messages. That will do.”_ **

Sighing, I took the first step into the house, “ _ Okay.” _

**_“Tha-”_ **

**_“Nk”_ **

**_“You.”_ **

That was… weird, but whatever. Thinking it was some strange slang way to say thanks I replied with, “ _ Yo-” _

_ “U’re-” _

_ “Wel-” _

_ “Come. ^-^” _

“Arinna!” Nicole is running in after me, “Don’t just enter a stranger’s house!” the others are stumbling in after us. 

My phone begins to buzz like crazy a second later- as do the other’s phones. Shocked at the development, we all lift up our phones to find ourselves thrown into another chatroom. 

Shizuka on the other hand was standing tall, gun raised in case the simultaneous phone buzz was just a trick to catch us off guard. Mark was quickly following her example, making a gun with his hands. 

Shizuka rolled her eyes at him. 

**Arinna has entered the chatroom.**

**Mark has entered the chatroom.**

**Avelia has entered the chatroom.**

**Shizuka has entered the chatroom.**

**Nicole has entered the chatroom.**

Curious, I watched as a new named popped up on the chat. It said,  **Yoosung.**

**Yoosung:** Failed _ my Midterms FmlT-T.” _

An emoji of a crying blond boy appeared below it. After that, multiple people began to talk.

**707** : It is because you play Lolol all night long. Lol

**Jumin Han:** If you want to work for our company, you have to take care of you GPA.

**Yoosung:** _I’m still on the list?! +_+_

**Jumin** :  _ Yes _

**707** : _ Nice. Can’t believe you get to work straight after college. Lol. IN THIS DAY AND AGE! _

**Zen** :  _ Lame. It Nepotism _ . 

**Jumin** :  _ It’s called recruitment actually.  _

**Zen** :  _ It’s giving a free pass instead of actually training the worker.  _

**Jumin:** _ Whatever, I couldn’t care less what you say. _

“Umm..” I look at the others, “Are you guys seeing this too?”

“Yeah.” Nicole frowns, “I don’t remember downloading this app.”

“Neither did I.” Avelia shrugs. Suddenly music begins to play from his phone. “Ooh, sorry. Hit my music.” he struggles to turn off the chilled out groove.

The little beat made the situation feel oddly calm despite how freaked out we were.

“Should we like- say something?” Mark asks. 

“Would it be rude to? They seem to be in their own little world.” I say. 

“Would it not also be rude to stay quiet since we are listening in?” Shizuka says. 

“Hmm, good point.” I nod. 

**Zen:** _ What is the difference between recruitment and Nepotism? _

**707:** _ Thought they were the same. O_O _

**Jumin:** _ It’s Nepotism if you recruit someone you know despite knowing they won’t be of any help.  _

**Yoosung:** _ Ooh! So you become a candidate for nepotism the same time you are recruited! _

**Zen: …**

All of us were shocked when Mark suddenly began to text on the chat, “ _ Yeah, that is basically it.” _

**Yoosung:** _ Ooh! Gotcha. That makes sense now. _

**Zen:** _ It really doesn’t. _

**707:** _ WAIT! _

**Yoosung:** _ Why? _

**Zen:** _?? _

**707:** _ I think someone entered the chatroom! Actually- yeah, it is obvious someone entered the chatroom. There is a big bubble saying that multiple people entered!;;; _

**Jumin:** _ Mark, Nicole, Shizuka, Arinna and Avelia…? _

**Yoosung:** _ T-That’s a lot of people! _

**Zen:** _ WTF!? How did they get in here!? _

**707:** _ Hacker!!! _

“Clear.” Shizuka said as she left the room. Not even sure what she meant, I realized she was checking the perimeter. 

I felt myself grow pale, “They know we are here.”

“It should have been obvious when Mark replied.” Nicole sighs. 

“Clear!” I could hear Shizuka from the other room as she shuffled around. 

Mark was still laughing his head off, “B-But they just- they just replied like it was normal! He didn’t even- hahahaha! He didn’t even hesitate to talk back to me!”

“Stop laughing-” Nicole says. 

“Clear!” Shizuka yelled again. 

“Stop moving around!” Nicole yells back. “Avelia! Stop the chilled out groove!” she yelled at him, commanding he shut off his weird mix tape. 

“I can’t!” he whined. Meanwhile, the chatroom was having their own panic attack, similar to our own group.

**Yoosung:** _ Hacker! Therae’s a hacker in ouer room! Seevnee do soemthing! _

**Zen:** _ Hey, Typos -_-’’ _

**707:** Wait a sec, I’m searching.

**Jumin:** Who are you. Reveal yourself! Hey, Assistant Kang.

**Jaehee Kang:** _ Yes, I am here.  _

**Zen:** _ You were so quiet, I thought you went somewhere. _

_ “ _ Ugh… guys?” I asked, wondering if anyone besides me was still paying attention to the chatroom.

“Give me your phone! I’ll turn the music off myself!” Nicole was crawling onto Avelia in attempts to take his phone. 

“Noooo~” he whined, “You’ll break it! Piggles! Protect me!”

The pig lunged at the both of them, tipping them over. Shizuka was still making her way through the house, slapping Mark’s hand whenever he made a move to stuff something in his pockets. 

“Ow! Owwy! Stop hitting me!”

“Then sit still!’ Shizuka bellowed.

**Jaehee:** Nothing was out of the ordinary so I was just watching. But I see something has just happened. 

**Yoosung:** Omg

**Jumin:** Why is there a stranger in the chatroom?

**Jaehee:** _ No one can enter the chatroom without installing the private app we use… it seems someone, or, several people have downloaded the RFA messenger _ . 

**Yoosung;** _ I thought Seven only let us download it? _

**_Zen:_ ** _ Maybe someone downloaded the app on two phones? _

**707:** _ Maybe? _

**Jumin:** Who downloaded it twice?

**Yoosung:** _ Not me! _

Feeling like enough things were happening that it would be best to say something, I glanced at the others. Seeing that they were distracted I type, “ _ Hello...” _

**Yoosung:** _ GAHH! It’s talking! _

**Zen:** _ So it’s not two phones _

**_Jumin:_ ** _ Who is it? _

**Yoosung:** _ Find out what it is! _

**Jaehee:** _ How did you find out about this place? Where did you download the application? _

I was starting panic but no one was helping me through this and were too busy messing with the place!

“Shizuka come on-!” Mark shrieked when Shizuka slapped him. 

“Shut up, someone is trying to hack into my phone!’ she says, plopping on the floor to handle the situation. 

“What?” Mark gasped, scanning his own phone. “Hey- me too! Oh! Oh-hoho, oh no you don’t mister.” he growled and sat down. 

‘Um… guys?” I asked. “Nicole? Avelia?”

“GIVE ME THE PHONE!”

“AHHHHHHHHHH!” Avelia screamed. 

“Oink oink!” the pig was rolling over them repeatedly. 

“....” I look back down at the messenger. 

**707:** _ Hmm, it is a little difficult, but I think I found something small. Nothing much though. I was only able to trace the location of one of the phones. This is weird.  _

**Zen:** _ What is it?! Hurry up and tell us! _

**707:** _ I traced the IP… It’s from RIKA’s APARTMENT.  _

Oh. Oh, they know the woman who owns the place. Great. Just great. 

**Yoosung:** RIKA’S APARTMENT!?

**Jumin:** _ Where is it? _

**_Jaehee:_ ** _ The location is not revealed. I know it to be classified.  _

**707:** _ anyway, someone must have broken into her apartment. They talked just now, so they must be people.  _

**Yoosung:** _ So they hacked the program, seven? _

**707:** _ ya _

“Uh… no.” I shake my head, “I don’t know how to hack.” I remembered what Avelia said earlier and realized they couldn’t hear me if I didn’t type it. 

**Yoosung:** _ Who are you!? How did you get into Rika’s Apartment! How did you get this app! Gahh… I’m so scared right now. I thought the apartment has a passwerd luck? _

**Zen:** _ Typo _

**Jaehee:** _ I assume it was a break in.  _

What was I supposed to say to these people?!

**Jaehee:** _ Stranger, I recommend you say something and confess.  _

**Zen:** _ Jaehee, would you voluntarily confess to everything if it were you?  _

**Jaehee:** _ No, but it is good to ask.  _

**_707:_ ** _ lol _

**Jumin:** _ Quit shitting around. Who are you? Reveal yourself, strangers. If you do not reveal yourself you will pay.  _

I screech quietly in panic, “Guys, come on~ Help me out! I don’t know what I am doing!!” 

“You are right-” Shizuka stood, “Avelia! Nicole! Bring your phone's here. I believe you two are also being hacked!”

Both of them freeze, jumping to their feet to bring her their phones. 

“Wha- what about me?” I demand. 

“It isn’t your phone, you don’t have to worry.” Mark waves it off. 

“B-But I don’t have any money and Jumin wants me to pay for something!” I say

“What?’ Nicole gives me a look, “Did you drink something weird today??”

“No! No! It is Jumin!’ I insist. 

“Is that some weird drink?” she asks. 

“No it is Jumin!”

“Arinna,” Mark sighs, “You really didn’t need to add the jewish part, he is probably just a man. You shouldn’t go around calling men, Jew men. Or at least have proper grammar and call them Jewish men. Or men that are Jews. Or men of Jewish faith, though I understand since that is a long version.” 

I throw my head back and scream in frustration, “Forget it!” 

**Zen:** Strangers you will pay? Lmfao. Omg---- so scary~ It might just be some girls. 

**707:** _ that is sexist. You should watch what you say now that you are a famous actor.  _

**Zen:** _ I’m not famous- just a bit recognizable.  _

**Yoosung:** Nah, look at the youtube hits~

**Zen:** _ Dude, stawp~;; _

**707:** _ lol _

**Jaehee:** _ That video is excellent, no matter how many times I watch it. _

I slouch my shoulders a bit- these people really weren’t all that concerned with this, were they?

**Yoosung:** Zen, when do you start your next piece?

**Zen:** _ Don’t know. It is up to the director.  _

**Yoosung:** He’s a celebrity! I’m gonna tell everyone at school. 

“...” I purse my lips. Yeah, they weren’t taking this serious at all. 

**Jumin:** _ HEY. _ **_Don’t get distracted!_ **

**Yoosung:** Oh right, the new people. 

**Jaehee:** Abrupt strangers…

**707:** My hands are shaking as I hack… it is a little difficult right now. I think they know how to block me. 

**Jumin:** Who are you? Reveal yourself right now.

**Yoosung:** YEESH! Who are U!>!

**Zen:** Use proper English, please.

**707:** If you don’t say anything, I’ll continue to hack until I can find out!

**Zen:** Maybe…. One of my fans~?

**Jumin:** *Angry Jumin face*

“Guys?” I ask quietly, “They want to know who we are.”   


“Well tell them to reveal themselves first.” Shizuka didn’t bother to look up. 

“Yeah, if they want to know our names, they should say theirs first.” Nicole agrees. 

“Honestly I’m the more confused one here.” Avelia frowns. 

“...” Sighing I type, “ _ Hello, I am Arinna. Who are you and what is this place?” _

Mark gives me a little glare, “Arinna, I can hear you ignoring us over there.”

“Well you are all ignoring me!” I sniffle. 

Looking back at the camera, I almost had a heart attack when a red heart suddenly flew out from the screen and almost slapped me in the face, “AHH! What was that! What was with the little heart thingy?!?”

“What heart thing?” Avelia inquires, jumping at my scream. 

“The heart- it flew out! It was red!”

“I didn’t see anything.” 

“I- but it was there!” I frown. 

**707:** So awkward, lol. I thought it was a computer talking. 

**Zen:** seems more normal than I thought. 

**Yoosung:** what were you thinking?

**Zen:** Nothing~ Nothing~   
****

**Yoosung:** Should we… introduce ourselves?

**Jumin:** Are you serious

I perked up, “ _ Oh yes please! That would help me feel a lot better!” _

Several of the members were shocked to hear me say this. 

Then, one of them began to mention of character named,  **V.** An odd name for sure, but he seemed to be the leader in this crazy circle. 

**V has entered the Chatroom**

Speak of the devil, here he was. Maybe now I could get some answers.

* * *

 

**\---0000Shizuka0000---**

This was ridiculous. Whoever was hacking their phones was obviously skilled and required her full, undivided attention and yet…

“...and it looks like I’m the Queen,” Avelia sang under his breath, arm held out in front of him as though reaching for something.

Mark was banging his head to the softly hummed song. 

Why was she their friend? She could have come here on her own, it probably would have been safer. They obviously were not taking this seriously at all.

“Be the good girl you always have to be,” Nicole joined in next to her, swaying her shoulders back and forth, occasionally bumping into Shizuka.

She nudged the taller girl away, “Knock it off,” Shizuka grumbled, attempting to keep her focus on keeping the hacker away from her email now.

Allowing a moment's glance away from her screen she peered over at Arinna who was fumbling with the device in her hands. Her toe quietly tapped to the singing beat of the others. 

...She’d be fine on her own. Probably.

“My power flurries through the air and through the ground!” Avelia stood suddenly, his voice growing louder as he began reaching the climax of the song.

“Avelia,” Shizuka started warningly. This was not the time, nor the place for-.

Nicole hopped up next to him. “...like an icy blast! I’m never going back, the past is in the paaaaaaaaaaast!”

“Shut it!”

Mark knocked into her when he flipped onto his feet, fingers still flying over his own keys. “Let it gooooo~! Let it gooooo~! And I’ll rise like the break of dawn!”

Shizuka kicked her foot out, attempting to knock him over while struggling to stop the hacker from reaching her photos. “For the love of-!”

He jumped out of her reach, feet following the edges of the room as his fingers typed away furiously. Nicole and Avelia followed with no hesitation, their arms spread out like wings.

“Let it go~ Let it goooo~!” They sung in unison. 

“Aghhhh!” Shizuka growled, desperately trying to block them out. Why must they make everything so difficult?!

“A party?” Arinna mumbled to herself, barely audible over the singing lunatics parading around the room. She glanced at them nervously but they were to enthralled by their own voices. She had just finished telling the strangers in the chatroom how her and her friends had all ended up in the apartment and how they got the code. Although, they weren’t exactly strangers anymore. The whole group had been very kind in their introductions, and their own mostly blaise attitude had put her at ease as well. Now they were discussing the parties they used to have with various organizations. It sounded… kinda fun.

Shizuka glared daggers at the three still having their own little karaoke party in the small room. Deciding she had enough she slipped her shoe off just enough so that it rested on the front half of her foot and her heel was free. The three morons circled the room once, twice, and…

As soon as Avelia came into her line of sight she flicked her foot violently, sending the shoe flying. It hit the large man square in the jaw with enough force to knock him over to land on Nicole. Mark skidded to a stop behind them, barely able to keep a grip on his phone as they tumbled over each other.

“Sit down and shut up!” Shizuka spoke slowly, sparing a moment to send them a chilling glare. She had important information in her phone that could not be jeopardized and while she truly cared for her friends dearly she would not allow them to mess it up simply because they could not fight the ‘singing disease (something Arinna had come up with a few years ago when they all had too much to drink and the radio was played on its highest volume).

Arinna looked up worriedly but was once again distracted by the rapid fire conversation taking place in the chatroom. She was kind of(?) getting the hang of this thing.

“I guess I’ll keep it a secret,” she mumbled to herself. “It’s kind of weird that you’ve never been to your own fiance's house though. And don’t worry about the others! They won’t tell anyone the address either, they are very good at keeping secrets.”

Avelia looked up from where he had fallen, gaze curious. “This place is supposed to be secret?”

Arinna shrugged uncertainly.

“I guess it’s a good thing Arinna has no brain to mouth filter,” Mark commented as he stepped carefully over his fallen friends to rejoin Shizuka on the floor, scooting a bit further away when she glared at him. “It makes it easy for us to know what she’s typing.”

“Ah!” Arinna let out an affronted noise.

“What are they talking about now?” Nicole piped up, lifting her face from the floor and resting her chin on her hands.

“Um,” Arinna looked down again, brow furrowed. “This apartment belonged to a girl named Rika who died, which is so sad because they all seemed to really love her, and this apartment was where she kept all this secret information and stuff so we have to keep it a secret ourselves and apparently the person who sent us here was someone she trusted more than anyone else but they don’t know who that could be.”

Arinna twitched when all of her friends turned their deadpan stares on her.

“...What?”

Nicole hung her head. “This is so fricken weird.”

“Tell them to stop hacking our phones,” Shizuka growled out, voice softening when she  actually looked up at Arinna. “We can deal with the rest after that. Good work Arinna.”

Arinna grinned happily at the praise and did as she was asked. “Um,” she started, fingers typing out a hesitant staccato on the keypad. “ _ My friend Shizuka would like to ask if you could please stop trying to hack our phones? It’s not very nice. _ ”

“...Not quite how I phrased it but good enough I suppose,” Shizuka mumbled under her breath.

“She hasn’t really been phrasing anything the way we want her to today,” Mark noted, smiling teasingly.

Arinna was not amused. “Well if you want to actually look at the chat then maybe you could say exactly what you wanted to Mark!”

“Ohhhh~” Nicole smirked.

“I can’t!” He whined pitifully. “If I don’t try to stop this hacker they could gain access to all of my important data!”

Nicole rolled her eyes. “Mark. Your phone is total garbage. Literally, it is filled with pictures of shiny garbage and cat videos. It has absolutely no worth whatsoever.”

Mark’s eyes grew wide with watery sentiment. “It’s worth something to me! Right Avelia?”

Avelia looked at him blankly. “Is this about garbage again? Because I really don’t like garbage.”

“Ah,” Shizuka’s small exclamation cut off Mark’s oncoming rant. “They stopped.”

Arinna’s grin widened as she sent a grateful thanks over the chat. The user 707 replied with an odd, sparkly eyed emoji.

“I’m logging back into the chat,” Shizuka stated, tossing the other’s phones back to them. 

“Sweet!” Nicole and Avelia lunged for their beloved devices. “I wanna figure out what is fully going on.”

When they logged on, Nicole skimmed through the previous chats as fast as she could, finding it a little odd when one in particular, a man known as  **V** on the chat, said this. 

**V:** _ If I am right… Arinna and her friends being at the apartment right now…  _ _ Rika must have wanted that.  _

**Jumin:** Rika called in complete strangers from up in the sky?

**V:** _ I’m not saying Rika wanted them to be there… but maybe… Rika wanted someone to do the work she did before. At the place she worked before… _

**Jumin:** _ What…? _

“Arinna, who is Rika?” Nicole asks. 

“I just explained, Nicole. She was the previous owner of the house. She passed away a year and a half ago.” Arinna explains. 

“You said the previous owner died, you didn’t say her name.” 

“Yes I did, open your ears!!”

Nicole purses her lips, “Right well-- so the bottom line is, this guy is crazy.” she concluded. 

“No, he isn’t.” Arinna insists. 

“He is suggesting that a dead girl lead us here, Arinna. Even the other people sound a little weirded out by the idea!!”

“Well, maybe he has a little bit of the right idea?” Avelia suggests. The group shifted simultaneously to stare at him, “I’m not suggesting a ghost brought us here, but maybe we’re supposed to do this? Everything happens for a reason!” he pauses, “Whether it’s because of a dead girl or not, that is up to our own interpretation. But I for one, think we were brought here for a reason.”

“Probably not a good one though.” Mark whistles. 

“What exactly is it they want us to do?” Shizuka frowns. 

“Lets wait and see.” Arinna looks back at her phone just in time to see the answer. 

**Zen:** _ No way _

**Jaehee:** _ The work Rika used to do… _

**707:** _ Hosting Parties??? _

“They want us to host parties…” Nicole says slowly, “Parties… All this secrecy and panic, for a party.” 

“Maybe they are special parties?” Avelia wiggles his fingers. 

“Now- now hold on a minute... Do they mean college parties with the illegal alcohol and hangovers in the morning, or a mafia style party where you invite all these high class people only to have them try to kill you throughout the movie?”   


“That isn’t the point, Mark.” Shizuka sighs. 

“The points still stands though.” he winces, when she hits him. 

**V:** According to the information Luciel collected, Arinna isn’t a threat.

**707:** _ Correction, I said there is no information on her- as in, there is no info on the phone. I do not think it is actually hers. It will take time to find out who she really is.  _

**Jumin:** … and the others?

**707:** _ They were a little more difficult -3-, but I said I wouldn’t look into it anymore. I got enough info though for now. One of them knows a lot about coding. _

**Zen:** _ That is kind of suspicious.  _

**Mark:** I’m gonna call you Kettle since you people were just trying to get into our own phones. For now, you can call me Pot.

**Jumin:** _ V, they do drugs. I do not think this is a wise group to get involved with.  _

**Zen, Jaehee, Yoosung:** _ …. -_- _

**707:** _ Lol~ _

**Mark:** _ Wha- no no man! It was a joke. You know, the pot and the Kettle? That old saying?  _

**Jumin:** _ … _

**Mark:** _ Nothing? Really? Okay, fine, whatever. We don’t do drugs -_-  _

**V:** _ Back on track, whoever these people are, they are now on the same boat as us.  _

Mark leaned over to Nicole to whisper, “Now the real question is… is this a sturdy cruise kind of boat, or a hand made dingy that will get taken away with the first wave?

“Dude, you need to stop giving these options- because I don’t like either one.” she frowns. 

‘I like the cruise ship.” Avelia marvels. 

Arinna grins, “I like the dingy, think of all the adventure! Like! Like battling pirates!   


“It was a metaphor, you idiots.” Shizuka said. 

“Oh.” they all lowered their heads.

With their own conversations the group was struggling to fully understand everything going on in the messenger. From what they could tell is that everyone was a little torn between the option of trusting V or sending the police to arrest them on the spot. 

**V:** _ Perhaps it is for the best we explain to this group who we are- they must be confused.  _

**707:** Yeah, we should tell them about Rika and the RFA~

**Arinna:** _ Please do! _

**Nicole:** _ Not interested.  _

“Nicole!”

“I’m being honest! They asked for honesty!” 

**Zen:** _ Okay, Rika is… V’s old girlfriend and the creator of this chatroom.  _

Arinna gasps, “Oh my gosh, and she is dead.”

**Shizuka:** “ _ I’m sorry for your loss, V. _

He must have been startled by her comment and took a while to reply, 

_**V:** Thank you. That was very kind of you. _

**Yoosung:** _ Rika hosted parties regularly for a good cause. She organized a group called RFA to organize this party and invite participants.  _

**Arinna:** A good cause??

**Mark:** _ A party?? :D _

**Shizuka:** _... RFA? _

The look on her face made it seem as if she had heard of this organization before- and perhaps she had. 

**707:** _ Yes, four years ago Rika created the RFA and we began to hold parties. The six of us, who know her personally joined and helped her host these parties _ . 

**Yoosung:** _ She was an amazing person who always sparkled. I can’t even imagine… Someone taking over what Rika did.  _

**Zen:** _ But if we continue on like this, there will be no need for the party or our organization.  _

**Jumin:** _ But we trust to someone we don’t know? _ _   
_ ****

**Zen:** _ Them just being here makes me trust them a bit :) _

**Jumin:** _ Not just because some of them are girls? _

**V:** _ Everyone, I know this is a bit confusing. Maybe they were chosen by Rika… 707 will look into this person called  _ **_Unknown._ ** _ For now, please believe in me and wait.  _

**707:** You sound busy

**V:** _ Yes I … believe I must leave soon. A college and I are going on a trip. Arinna, it is best for you and your friends to not touch anything in the apartment. It won’t be good if the alarm rings.  _

As if on cue Shizuka lunged forward to snatch Mark’s wrist away from opening a cabinet. Eyes wide, he smiled sheepishly. 

**V:** _ Listen, everything you would need to do, if interested in this offer, is linked in the App. _

**Nicole:** _ What do you mean? _

**Avelia:** _ I thought this was just a messenger app? _

**707:** _ This app program is not just a simple messenger. All the party related emails on Rika’s computer will be transferred to your phones through the app. You’ll be able to receive the guest’s emails and message us.  _

**V:** _ With that there will be no need for you all to touch RIka’s old things.  _

**Jaehee:** _ All they need to do is use the App.  _

**Shizuka:** _ So then, there is no need to return to this house? _

**V:** _ You can… return to it if you wish, I would simply prefer you do not touch anything.  _

**Mark:** _ But can we sleep here?? _

Avelia turned to him, “Why would you want to sleep here?”

“Oh gee Avelia, I don’t know. Maybe- just maybe, it is because we live in a van??” Mark cooed, frowning, “And it is almost winter.”

Quietly Nicole whispers, "Winter is coming..."

Arinna shivered, “It does get cold in the winter.” 

“And as much as we love a good cuddle puddle, Arinna and I need our space.” Mark says. Everyone was well aware of the fact that Arinna and Mark had been living together in a van for the past two years. Their financial state was tight, but neither of them were uncomfortable with the situation. Winter was approaching though, and Mark and Arinna tended to get horribly sick because of the cold. 

**V:** _ Why would you require to sleep there? _

**Avelia:** _ Cause two of us live in a van- they would be the only ones who would request to stay here. _

Shizuka leans towards them with a frown, “I keep telling you two that you can stay with me.” she says

“We don’t want to bother you.” Arinna and Mark repeat for the 30th time that year, 

“It wouldn’t be a bother.” 

“We’re okay. Besides, if this house is always empty anyway, it would be a waste if no one used it.” Arinna smiles. Shizuka huffs a little and leans back, nodding her head once. 

**Yoosung:** _ You live in a van??? That is so sad!! T-T _

**Nicole:** _ Only Arinna and Mark live in a van. _

**Yoosung:** _ That is still sad! I couldn’t even imagine doing that! _

**Arinna:** _ It really isn’t that bad once you get use to it. It just gets really cold in the winter- so we try to find somewhere else to stay until Spring. Being able to at least use the couch or something here would be a big help. _

**V:** _ I do not see the harm in that so long as you agree not to go through the cabinets.  _

Arinna looks at Mark with a frown, “Mark.” she says. 

“Why do you instantly look at me when he says that?” Mark demanded, though his face was cracking into a guilty grin.  

“Because I know you.” she nudges him. 

**Arinna:** _ We promise not to touch anything.  _

**Jumin:** _ As you said, even if they do, the alarm will sound.  _

**Mark:** _ So can we? Pweaseeeee~ _

**V:** _ Very well. However, I must get going. Jumin? _

**Jumin:** _ Yes? _

**V:** Please take care of things for me. 

**Jumin:** _ Of course. Assistant Kang, summarize the rest to them and invite them to the organization. _

Nicole raised her hand, laughter bubbling from her belly, "Did he just instantly put the work on that other lady?" 

**_V has left the chatroom._ **

**Jaehee:** _ Alright. RFA is an organization created by Rika, as you know, so that anyone can freely make donations regardless of class or nationality. At the time she held two parties every year that were very successful.  _

Shizuka perked up a bit, “I believe I’ve heard of this.” she announces, “I think my parents once went to one of these parties.”

“Ooh, cool.” Arinna grins. “So that means they are legit, right?”

Shizuka nods, “That makes me feel a little at ease.”

**Jaehee:** The chatroom was created to discuss details of the party

**707:** I created the chatroom. 

**Yoosung:** Everyone already knows that…

**Avelia:** We didn’t

**Shizuka:** It is a very impressive piece of work. 

Shizuka almost punched her phone in shock when a red heart suddenly flew at her. 

“THAT! That right there! RIGHT THERE! That is what I saw before!” Arinna yells like a banshee. 

“What?! What?! I didn’t see it!” Nicole jumps to her feet. 

“The heart thing! The thingy! The heart!” Arinna makes a heart with her hand. 

“I saw it- stop screaming in my ear!” Shizuka roars. 

“I’m lost- I didn’t see it.” Avelia lifts his hand. 

**Jaehee:** _ Because this chatroom contained a lot of information that cannot be publicly released the App was distributed secretly to only RFA members. But ever since Rika passed away, we have not held a party. _

**_Jumin:_ ** _ We wanted to, but without Rika we couldn’t proceed.  _

**_Jaehee:_ ** _ The Chatroom then became a place for us to discuss personal matters.  _

**_707:_ ** _ We literally just chat.  _

**_Jaehee:_ ** _...Arinna, you were lead to that place without explanation. If V is right, it seems that someone sent you all there to fill Rika’s position.  _

**Jumin:** _ There are currently six members of the organization, all of them here minus V.  _

**Zen:** It’ll be 11 if they all join. 

**Yoosung:** 11? That is such a big number in only a few minutes!   
****

**Jumin:** We have yet to hear from them and their thoughts on the matter.

**Shizuka:** _ Who else is planning this? The venue, catering… is there any performances or entertainment for the guests? Parking space? _ _   
_ ****

**Jaehee:** _ Those are a lot of good questions. The rest of us with handle those.  _

**Avelia:** _ So… all of us are just supposed to answer emails. _

**Mark:** _ I feel like that is more of a one person job, -_- _

**Jumin:** _ Very true. Perhaps we can find other jobs for you to do.  _

**_Mark:_ ** _ Well you guys do seem like busy people. I don’t mind taking on some work- or even the organization. _

Nicole gave him a suspicious side eye. He looked away with a Cheshire grin. 

**_Yoosung:_ ** _ You’ll join right??? _

**_Nicole:_ ** _ Honestly, this still feels a little odd. I’m not too comfortable just joining.  _

**_Jumin:_ ** _ All we are trying to do is have parties, raise funds, gather people… things like that. Our organization has done a lot of good. You will never regret joining.  _

Nicole found herself taken aback a bit and glanced at the others. 

“They have done a lot of good.” Shizuka nods. 

“It… could be fun.” Arinna smiles. 

**Zen:** If you join the party you’ll be able to talk with us more. Not everyday we get to meet pretty girls. 

**707:** _ They aren’t all girls… and how do you even know the girls are pretty. I didn’t even send a photo.  _

**_Zen:_ ** _ Send the photo _

**_707:_ ** _ No _

**_Jumin:_ ** _ Men will be men _

**_Zen:_ ** _ Like you aren’t a man _

**_707:_ ** _ I heard somewhere Jumin’s gay _

**_Zen:_ ** _ Omg go away. You scare me _

**_Jumin:_ ** _ Not even worth replying to. Now stop chatting around! I was talking.  _

**Jaehee:** _ I apologize _

**_Jumin:_ ** _ Will you join the RFA? _

**_Mark:_ ** _ Sure! I’m in between jobs anyway _

**_Shizuka:_ ** _ For as long as my schedule allows _

**_Arinna:_ ** _ It is helping people! Of course I’ll join! _

**_Avelia:_ ** _ Count me in! _

**_Nicole:_ ** _ Ehhh -_-; Okay, but if it gets weird I’m out.  _

All of us screamed when a purple and green heart shot out of the screen. “Those! Those!” Arinna is ducking behind Avelia for cover. 

“Heart attack! Heart attack!” he roars. “And not the bad one!”

“Is this considered good?’ Mark lunges up like a cat in attempt to catch the heart. “I missed it!”

“What sort of App just creates things like this?!” Shizuka swatted the another away with the back of her hand. 

Nicole on the other hand plucked the purple heart up curiously, “Hah, weird.” she flipped it like a coin. “But out of everything that has happened today, this isn’t that bad.”

**707:** I’ve registered you all and will send you some files to fill out since I don’t have too much info on you. Fill out what you want -3-

**Yoosung:** You’re going to collect all the info so they can’t run, right?   


“Concerned.” Nicole pales. 

**Zen:** Don’t collect info without their consent. 

**707:** yeah yeah. Anyways, good luck. We’ll send more details on what each of you can do later!

**Yoosung:** So glad to have you onboard!   
****

**Jumin:** We’ll see how you do

**Jaehee:** For now I look forward to working with you.

**Zen:** _ Glad you joined! _

**_707 has left the chatroom_ **

**_Yoosung has left the chatroom_ **

**_Jumin has left the chatroom_ **

**_Jaehee has left the chatroom_ **

**Zen:** Oh… by the way. I had a good dream last night. I think I saw you guys there…. Or not! Bye~

“Well, that guy is crazy.” Nicole nods

“No he’s not, he is just creative!” Mark says, suddenly super defensive.

“What?’ Nicole asks. 

“He’s an actor, he needs to emphasize his emotions!”

“What are you talking about?” she frowns. 

“That is Zen! Hyun uh- I can’t remember. I always call him Zen. The upcoming star?? I told you about his play a few weeks ago.” Mark insists. 

“...The weird food play?” Avelia tilts his head. 

Mark slouches a bit, “...Okay yeah, the script could have been better- but he was fantastic in it!” 

Arinna chuckles, “It was cool to meet him. Everyone else seemed nice too.”

“Yeah about that, can someone explain to me how we go from returning a phone to joining some secret organization?” Nicole grumbles. 

“Typical tuesday…” Shizuka mumbles quietly. 

The others shrug, “What should we do now?” Avelia inquires. 

“Stay put. I don’t feel comfortable leaving you here alone tonight.” Shizuka motions to Mark and Arinna, “If it seems safe by tomorrow we’ll leave and go back to our own homes. I want to see exactly what this organization is like first.”

Mark throws his hands up, “Slumber party~”

Piling pillows in a large mountain in the living room, everyone dove onto it. 

“Nighty night sugar bites!” Mark grinned. 

“Sweet dreams whip cream.” Arinna giggles. 

“Oh is this a- is this a thing? Uh... “ Avelia bits at his lip, “Bye bye butterfly~”

“Not really a good night, but I’ll take it.” Mark nods. 

“Sleep tight… wake up right?’ Nicole cringes. 

Mark frowns, “Awkward, but I’ll take that too.” 

Shizuka ends with the brilliant words, “Good night.” 

“Ooh Shizuka noo! Come on. We had a thing going. Come onnnn~ You gotta finish it.”

She turns over with a sadistic smile, “Very well. Go to bed-” she leans forward, her tone dark, “Or you’ll be dead.”

Everyone sat in silence, not willing to utter a word. 30 minutes later, Arinna shifts a few times, sighing. Barely a whisper she says, “... I can’t sleep.”

“We just laid down.” Nicole scoffs. 

“I know but- I can’t.”

“Oh yeah, you need a lullaby huh?” Mark snickers. 

Avelia turns over, “A lullaby?”

Arinna gets flustered, “It is Mark’s fault. He always sang before we went to bed so now I can’t sleep without one!”

“Aww.” Nicole gushes, “Cute. Mark- I think this is your cue.”

He clears his throat, “If my public demands it.” he pauses, “1 + 1 is cutie pie! 2 + 2 is cutie pie! 3 +3 is cutie pie-” Shizuka punched him. 

“That isn’t a lullaby, sing something else.”   


Nicole is rolling, “Dude.” she laughs, “That song is so out of fashion!”

“I remember my grandma singing that once.” Avelia notes. He chuckles when his baby pig leapt up to lay against his chest. “Night Piggles~”

Sharing a little laugh, Mark tries again, “Do do do dooo~ Do dodo doo~ So wonderful wonderful wonderful.”

Nicole and Avelia swoon, “We love this song.” they say as they roll into each other, squishing the poor small Shizuka between them. 

"Ugh, get off of me~!" she groaned. 

Mark sings, “I could never find the right way to tell you, have you noticed I’ve been gone. Cause I left behind the home that you made me, but I will carry it along.”

Avelia and Nicole quietly began to join along, “And it’s a long way forward, so trust in me.”

“I’ll give them shelter, like you’ve done for me.” Arinna sings. 

“And I know, I’m not alone.” Shizuka softly spoke along with the words

Mark was grinning, wrapping his arms around his friends, “You’re watching over us. Until, you’re gone. Hmm, do do dooo!” They sang quietly up to the ceiling, their words echoing in the empty apartment long into the night until everything fell still. 


	2. A million and one ways to make an impression

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some good old morning chats
> 
> A jog  
> Zen is a lady  
> Shizuka has the byakugan  
> A limo hits a fire hydrant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have too much fun with this guys XD

Avelia’s eyes popped open at exactly six in the morning. It was time for his daily run.

Sitting up happily he stretched his arms above his head with a yawn, forcing the three other people using him as a pillow to smash their heads into the floor in an unwelcome wake up call.

“Son of a-!” Nicole ground out, eyes blinking rapidly in an attempt to focus.

“Owwwww,” Arinna cried, cradling her head in her hands and curling up into a ball.

Mark’s head bounced off the floor like a rubber ball. “Huh?!” he looked around groggily, squinting around to see what had happened. “Wha’s tha’?”

Piggles simply rolled off of Avelia’s chest and on to the floor, still snoring.

Avelia stared at them all with wide eyes, mouth agape. “I am so sorry! I completely forgot you guys were here!”

“Agh, my head,” Nicole groaned, rubbing the side of her temple.

Arinna scrunched up her nose is pain as Mark continued to shake his head in order to clear his thoughts.

“I’m sorry,” Avelia repeated,

“Guys…?” Arinna rubs her eyes.

“Yeah?” Nicole yawns.

“I got a text… from Unknown.”

Like a zombie, Shizuka rises from her caterpillar state in the far corner, making it seem almost impossible that she had just been asleep seconds before as she said with a clear voice, “What did it say?”

“ **It’ll be really fun from now on. Enjoy your time with everyone. I’ll get you soon.”** Arinna read aloud.

Mark made a disgusted noise, “I don’t like that. Give’s me the willies.”

“Who is this??” Arinna frowned.

“What did he mean he’ll _get you soon?”_ Avelia inquires, worried.

Nicole snatched the phone away from her, texting, “ _Who the hell are you!-“_ Avelia grabbed it from her to add, “ _You aren’t dangerous are you?-“_ Mark was the last to grab it with the final sentence of, “ _I’m not interested- I’m good. I like this place~ I get free pillows!”_ then pressed send.

There was a small pause.

“…Did he answer back?” Mark inquired.

“We just sent it.” Nicole says.

“Yeah, but did he answer back?”

“No.” Arinna sighs, “But I did get a text from the other people- From the RFA.”

“I did too.” Nicole glances at her own phone. “Not sure I am comfortable being texted by strangers…”

“What did they text you?’ Avelia asks,

Nicole shrugged, checking her phone on the ground next to her and stretching out. “Nothing big, just a few welcomes from some of ‘em. You guys probably got the same.”

Arinna fiddled with her new phone, marveling at all of the things it could do.

“There are photo’s and messages- guys look at all the cool stuff you can do with the app!” Arinna squealed with delight.

“That is basically the normal funtions of any public chatgroup.” Mark shrugs, not overly impressed. “The only cool thing about this is that the RFA get their own mini emoji’s.”

“Do we get those?” Arinna’s eyes widened.

“Dude, I want them.” There was a twinkle in Nicole’s eye.

“They seem entertaining,” Shizuka agreed. “We will have to ask where they got them. Or who made them.”

Mark gave a jaw cracking yawn. “Right well, being up at the ass crack of dawn is fun and all but I’m ready to go back to sleep.”

Arinna suddenly covered her face with her hands, giggling quietly. Mark laughed at her reaction.

Avelia grinned. “Go right ahead. Does anyone happen to have the time?”

“PaINfulLY EarLy,” Nicole choked out as though she were suffering just saying the words.

“6:25,” Arinna squeaked from her curled up position.

“Ah darn it,” he jumped up and started stretching his arms. “I’m late for my run-”

Nicole and Mark hissed violently, worm wiggling away from him as fast as they possibly could.

“Flee!” Mark slithered behind the couch.

“Exercise,” Nicole said it like it was a curse word, slipping over to the other side of Shizuka with out jostling her so the smaller woman was between them. An impressive feat, considering Shizuka was pressed tightly against the wall.

Avelia rolled his eyes. “You guys are so dramatic, honestly. Right Piggles?”

The large man looked down, mouth gaping open when his beloved pet pig rolled over and proceeded to play dead in order to avoid him.

“Piggles,” he gasped, hand rising to his chest as betrayal filled his heart.

“Just get going,” Shizuka dug through the bag she always had with her and tossed him a water bottle. “The sooner you get back the sooner we can eat.”

“Okay,” he slumped dejectedly. One day he would convince all of them to joig him for his morning run. It would happen!

Closing the front door quietly behind him Avelia placed his headphones over his ears and commenced his morning routine. Strapping his phone to his arm, he bobbed his head to his early morning mix tape that consisted of female pop songs, Fall out boy, and Paul Mcartney. Pretty much anything with a bouncy tune.

“I ain’t no hollarbackgirl~” Avelia mumbled as he rounded the block. It was odd running around in a neighborhood he wasn’t used to, but it gave him the chance to get a feel for the place. “High knees.” He instructed himself through his training, glancing left and right. It was a quiet place, which was nice.

Not a lot of litter, no visible graffiti- seemed like a fairly safe neighborhood.

His phone began to buzz then and he realized he had a text. Yanking his phone off his shoulder, he was surprised to find that it wasn’t a text at all- it was a chatroom notification from the RFA.

Pausing in the middle of the sidewalk, Avelia opened the Chatroom.

**7:00 Yoosung’s Complaint**

**Avelia has entered the Chatroom**

**Yoosung:** Do you know that Zen always complains about being single these days? But I’ve never been in a relationship! T-T **Sad Yoosung face**

Avelia isn’t sure how to respond at first, not fully sure if it was okay to start talking with these guys yet. Finding there couldn’t be any harm, he pressed the reply button.

Intending for it to be a joke, Avelia says-

 **Avelia:** _Are you not interested in girls?_

 **Yoosung:** I think I am interested…. _I guess. I feel better when I team up with a girl character in games. And it makes it more interesting if there’s a girl in the guild. But of course the competitions always gets intense and I never get a chance… T-T._ I don’t think I’m not interested though…

 **Avelia:** A guild, do you mean in LOLOL?

 **Yoosung:** Oh yeah, I’m apart of a really strong guild! You know about LOLOL though?

 **Avelia:** Yeah, I play too.

Avelia found himself tucking and rolling into the ground when a green heart shot out of the phone and smacked him in the face. Again with these things!

It must not have been happening to Yoosung because he continued on with the chat like nothing happened.

 **Yoosung:** I love LOLOL, I wish I could play more but I have a class at nine, so I have to take the bus now. The fate of a college student…! Oh right, do you want to see what I made for breakfast~?

 **Avelia:** Sure :)

A second later a picture of a delectable breakfast popped up. His belly grumbled in complaint, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since lunch yesterday. His hunger getting the best of him he replied with-

 **Avelia:** I wanna marry ya

Realizing this wasn’t one of his normal friends and this sentence could be taken the wrong way, Avelia felt flustered and scrambled to type a correction.

 **Yoosung:** Whut? (a mini blushing emoji appeared a second later)

 **Avelia:** jk

 **Yoosung:** Ooh, alright. What are you doing up this early Avelia?

 **Avelia:** I’m on my morning run :3

 **Yoosung:** You like to run? This early in the morning?! How can you even do that?

 **Avelia:** If you do it enough it becomes habit. I actually really enjoy the peace of the early morning silence.

 **Yoosung:** It sounds nice if you say it like that… but it is still running. Exercise, ugh.

 **Avelia:** It isn’t for everyone, that is for sure.  

 **Yoosung:** Glad you don’t try to insist I do it, unlike Zen. Oh, I have to go now. I’m almost running later. Avelia, let’s talk soon.

 **Avelia:** Alright, bye bye, get there safe :)

“Well…” Avelia began to run again at a slightly faster pace, “That was embarrassing~” he sang.

After mapping out the neighborhood and a good mile outside of it, Avelia wound his way back to the house his friends were at.

* * *

**Location: Secret House (AKA) Dead girl's house- or is that rude? Rika's house (Double AKA) Mark and Arinna's new crib**

* * *

 

Arinna looked up when Avelia walked in from her place on the couch. She was curled up with a soft pillow wrapped in her arms while she played with her phone.

“Welcome back,” she greeted softly. She watched as his eyes trailed down to the small tuft of black hair sticking out from behind the couch. Mark had not moved since he had left.

“Where is everyone else?” he wondered.

“Shizuka is making breakfast and Nicole-”

“Is not helping,” the red haired, dark skinned woman in question answered for her, strolling in and plopping down next to Arinna. "Piggles... Come!"

Said pig leaped at her, sprawling out on her lap. 

“Do you know what she is making?” Avelia joined them. Shizuka liked to have the kitchen to herself when she was cooking.

Nicole shrugged and pulled out her phone. “Oh hey, Jumin is on.”

“We should say hi!” Arinna clicked on the R.F.A app.

“Ugh,” Nicole grimaced. “Why?”

“It’s polite,” she pointed out. “And besides, look at the title! He needs some cheer in his morning.”

Avelia shrugged and pulled out his phone as well. Nicole rolled her eyes, clearly outnumbered, and joined them.

**8:00 Jumin’s Lonely morning**

**Avelia has entered the Chatroom**

**Nicole has entered the Chatroom**

**Arinna has entered the Chatroom**

**Arinna:** Hello.

 **Nicole:** That is still a really big bubble whenever all of us enter at once.

 **Zen:** Hello shuu~

 **Jumin:** Hello.

 **Zen:** So lame that you respond with another hello, lol

 **Avelia:** Oh, is hello lame? Uh... Salutations!

 **Zen:** That was cute, unlike mister CEO over there.

 **Jumin:** I have to be polite to our new RFA members

 **Zen:** Ahha, I see you are helpless in front of V

 **Jumin:** Isn’t everybody in the organization that way?

 **Avelia:** It is okay, you can be casual with us.

 **Jumin:** I see, very well.

 **Arinna;** What were you doing just now, Zen? 

**Zen:** I was just about to have Breakfast. I’m an actor so my schedule is flexible. I’ll go to rehearsal in the afternoon. 

**Nicole:** Lucky you, I’m on my way to work right now.

Avelia and Arinna slowly turn to look at Nicole, who has morphed into a potato on the couch. Piggles draped over her as a blanket. Or as much of a blanket as a two pound piglet can be. 

"Work huh?" Mark asks from behind the couch.

"Very busy," she nods.

 **Zen:** So you work too, huh Nicole? But Mr. Cooperate executive, you’re not going to work?

 **Jumin:** I was just about to leave.

 **Zen:** Where is it that you work, Nicole?

 **Jumin:** V and 707 told us not to ask personal questions.

 **Zen:** Well that is boogus -_-

 **Nicole:** I don’t really care. It should be up to me on whether I tell you about my life, not them. I don’t mind you asking. I mean, you told me you are an actor, Zen. Not to mention the general idea of what Jumin is.

 **Jumin:** Indeed he did * **Angry emoji face** *

 **Zen:** ;; whoops… So…. where is it that you work, Nicole?

 **Nicole:** A garage. I’m a car mechanic

 **Zen:** What?? Really? But you are a girl!!

 **Avelia:** That was sexist

 **Arinna:** Yeah :(

 **Zen:** No! I didn’t mean it that! I was just shocked. Usually you hear that guys work in car garages, not girls.

 **Nicole:** Struggling to not hear the sexist tone there, Zen.

 **Zen:** Ahh, I’m sorry >-<

 **Nicole:** It is fine. I only work at the garage part time anyway since I’m going to school right now.

 **Jumin:** Than you are a College student like Yoosung

 **Nicole:** Avelia and I both are.

 **Arinna:** Mark and me are the only ones who don’t go to school or already have a big paying job, like Shizuka.

 **Zen:** What is it you do then, Arinna? :)

 **Arinna:** I uh, I sell flowers. Which I love to do, but it isn’t exactly profitable when it gets cold. I just came here because I was bored, lol.

 **Jumin:** Than you come here for the same reason as Zen.

 **Zen:** What are you talking about? It is the same for you too.

 **Jumin:** I won’t deny that. This chatroom is quite addictive. I can talk about Elizabeth the 3rd all day long.

 **Zen:** Whatever ;; no cares about cat pictures.

 **Jumin:** Take this.

A picture of Elizabeth the third appeared on the chat next.

 **Zen:** AHH!

 **Nicole:** Aww, cute.

 **Arinna:** What a sweetheart

 **Avelia:** that is one elegant looking cat.

 **Jumin:** At least some people out there appreciate her beauty. I tend to believe that those who like animals cannot be bad

 **Zen:** You only believe in what you want to believe

 **Jumin:** Certainly, is that not life? 

**Zen:** Don’t pretend to be above everything! 

**Jumin:** Anyway, cats are the best pet, so all of you should look into it. Elizabeth the 3rd is the only one who sees me off to work, so she is the only one I need.

 **Zen:** What are you talking about, you make all your maids see you off.

 **Jumin:** What I mean, is that Elizabeth the 3rd is the only one who sees me off with a loving soul

 **Zen:** A loving soul. If you treat your employees with a loving soul, they’d polish your shoes and lay out a red carpet

 **Nicole:** I get along great with everyone at my workplace but they’d never do anything like that even if I pleaded. Not that I want them to do that since they are just a bunch of greesers and their idea of a red carpet is a towel….

 **Jumin:** It is a waste to give yourself to the people you’ve employees. It is a business relationship. Money should be all there is to it.

 **Zen:** Well that depends on the person. What do you guys think?

 **Nicole:** I’m not the boss of anyone and only know the life of an employee, but I don’t see why you can’t have more to the business relationship than just money. I mean, if you can’t trust the employee, then what is the point of keeping them?

 **Arinna:** Trust it only earned by getting to know them after all.

 **Avelia:** A happy work place is a productive work place :0

 **Jumin:** Hmm, I see, I suppose you have a point

 **Zen:** Honestly, I’ve seen people online crying out that working in your company is like being a slave, but I may be wrong.

 **Arinna;** Oh that doesn’t sound fun :( I’m sure it’s just a rumor.

 **Jumin:** They should be honored to be my slaves. They are probably crying tears of joy

 **Arinna:** …

 **Avelia:** …

 **Nicole:** Damn.

 **Zen:** Tears of joy my ass. What do you know about people struggling to advance their place in society?

 **Jumin:** Struggle has nothing to do with one’s wealth or social status.

 **Nicole:** Uh, dude?

 **Jumin:** Who? And you seem oddly aggressive today Zen. Are you on your period?

 **Zen:** Yeah, I am. * **Smiley Zen emoj** i*

Arinna gasped, "Zen is a girl??"

Mark popped up like a daisy, his hair wild and his eyes crazed, "Excuse me?" he scrambled over the couch to peer over Nicole's shoulder. 

"Dude, just get your phone," she tells him. 

"No time! What happened?!" 

She sighs, and tilts the phone over for the fanboy to see, "Zen has periods,"

"Whoa...." Mark sits down, like they had just blown his mind. "I... I didn't realize. He-" he swallows, "Is so badass!!! Can you imagine being an actor and fighting against social norms like that?? Fighting to be what he wants to be regardless of what anyone else says?!"

Arinna sniffs, "H-He's brave,"

 **Jumin:** Get lost.

 **Arinna:** Oh, Zen! I didn't realize! So you’re a girl boy!

 **Avelia** : It’s called transgender Arinna.

 **Nicole:** Power to you my transgender friend! (Mark fully approves, btw)

 **Zen:** O.o What? No! I’m not transgender, I’m a male! Born one and will die one!

 **Arinna:** Oh! Yeah, of course, of course. You are a man! A manly man! A MAN and nobody can tell you otherwise!

 **Avelia:** Preach it!

 **Nicole:** Don’t worry man, we got your back. Anyone calls you a lady and you don’t want them to we will beat the shiz nits out of 'em.

 **Zen:** Oh my god. No! Stop!

 **Jumin:** * **Happy Jumin emoji** *

 **Arinna** : Don’t worry Zen, we wouldn’t get hurt. Shizuka has a phone tazer!

 **Avelia:** And a gun!

 **Nicole:** Plus the rights to, like, two tanks over in Switzerland.

 **Jumin:** …

 **Zen:** … What?!

 **Avelia:** I gotta run guys! Piggles is starting to look at me like food, which means it is breakfast time.

 **Zen:** Who???

 **Nicole:** His pet pig

 **Jumin:** You can have a pet pig?

 **Nicole:** Indeed you can.

 **Avelia:** And this pig is hungry!! Don’t worry Zen, I support you all the way whatever your choice is so long as you are happy!

**Avelia has left the chatroom**

**Arinna:** I should go too, I want to check on my flowers again before I open shop later. I’m so happy you are doing whats right for you Zen! Don’t worry, I’ll back you up %100! We’ll be best friends before you know it! :D

**Arinna has left the chatroom**

**Nicole** : Serioulsy dude, don’t worry about it. We’re all super open minded. Shizuka went around as a middle aged latino man for a year and half.

 **Zen:** What- what is actually happening right now?!

 **Nicole:** Yeah, and after that she de-aged into a preteen russian girl that loves cheese. She says its for her job but whatever job requires all of that I don’t know. I don’t want to know. I will literally force myself to forget the second someone tries to explain it to me. But I support it, we all do, so you’re cool.

 **Zen:** * **Shocked Zen face emoji** *

 **Jumin:** ...I am afraid I have lost the thread of this conversation for a while now.

 **Nicole:** You should get Elizabeth the 3rd to look for it Jumin. Cats are great at finding strings.

 **Jumin:** * **Happy Jumin face emoji** * Perhaps I will. Have a good day Nicole. Good bye for meow~

*Picture of cat paw*

 **Nicole:** Lol. You too. Talk to both of you later.

**Nicole has left the chat room**

**Jumin has left the chatroom**

**Zen:** WHAT THE HECK?!?!?!?!?!?!

* * *

 

**Location: Kitchen. Five paces away....**

Shizuka wrapped her fingers carefully around the warm mug of coffee she had just made, sighing as the warmth seeped into her fingers. She was about to turn back to the rice cooker when something odd caught her attention.

Not a movement, but the lack of any movement at all.

When they had first gotten to the apartment and she had checked the few rooms there for any hidden surprises she had taken note of the security cameras laid out to cover all of the windows and doors (none in the bathroom thankfully, and only one in the bedroom which seemed to only be able to view the window). The one in the small kitchenette had been on a rotated path, checking from left to right evenly. The entire time she had been making her coffee she had seen its movement from the corner of her eye. Yet now, as she lifted her mug to her lips, she noted that it was still. It also seemed to be pointed in her direction.

Deciding to test it she placed her phone on the counter and rested for a minute, enjoying her coffee.

Stepping back from the counter she took a few measured steps towards the main room before pausing and turning back around, as though forgetting something. She walked back over to the counter to grab her phone and as she did so she saw the camera slowly turn to follow her movements.

Grabbing her phone she lazily ambled over to the entry way between the kitchenette and the main room. She froze right when she was between the divider, where the cameras from both sides would have difficulty seeing her and gave her friends waiting for her in the other room a small wave. Waiting for three seconds she twisted on her heel and shot towards the wall directly beneath the kitchen camera.

She allowed a scowl to crawl across her face when the camera began swerving back and forth rapidly.

Lifting herself up onto her toes she grabbed the camera and quickly, but carefully, turned it towards her face.

“You have ten seconds to prove to me that you mean no harm before I tear this entire place apart,” she glowered.

Within three seconds her phone began to buzz.

 **_707 is calling_   **the screen read.

Keeping the camera steady with one hand she answered the call with the other and tucked the phone between her shoulder and her ear so she still had one hand free.

“I’m not a creeper!” A male voice cried. “It’s me, 707! I’m in charge of the security there and I was just checking the cameras when I saw you moving around so I got curious and please don’t open anything the alarm will go off!”

“I see, then the conversation we had that none of you have ever been within this apartment was a lie?”

There was a small pause, “Technically, I’m not actually in there, Lolol.”

Shizuka pinched the bridge of her nose. “...You don’t actually say ‘lolol’ outloud.”

707 began to laugh, “You caught me!! But please, don’t be mad at me! Honest, I was just checking to see how you were doing!”

She stared blankly at the camera. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable with the thought of you watching my friend’s every move as they stay here.”

“Ugh~ I surrender, white flag! Now you dislike me… Sorry. Do you like the apartment though? I won’t watch you again after this. Similar to how the others are your friends, Rika was mine. I just want to make sure her old home is well taken care of.”

Shizuka felt her eyebrow rise. “I did not say I did not like you, I don’t actually know you. I simply said I don’t like you watching my friends. But I like the apartment well enough. It is well secured and in a good neighborhood. I am not in charge of my friend’s lives, however. For the cameras you will have to talk to them.”

“Roger~ Aren’t you nice? Did you eat today?”

She gave the camera an odd look. “No… not yet.” she gives a pointed look to the food she was in the process of making. For obviously, 707 should have seen her making it. 

“Ohhh... right. You shouldn’t skip your meals, even if you don’t have balanced ones!”

“Since you have so much advise on the subject I assume you have already eaten yourself then? And I do not think I want to know what your definition of a ‘balanced meal’ is. Not after what I’ve heard from your friends so far.”

“Of course! I had a feast! Drum roll please! None other than Honey Buddha chips and PHD. pepper. The combo of the heavens! If you’ve never tried them you should. I totally recommend them. I rarely have time to go out and eat so I rely on them.” There was a small pause, “If there is anything about the apartment that makes you uncomfortable though, please let me know. I won’t watch you anymore unless it is an emergency, so you can relax. V was actually a little worried about all of you.”

Shizuka blinked at the camera considerately. “That is… nice of him. And of you, I suppose. Again, in terms of the camera you would have to ask Arinna and Mark, since they will be the ones living here. I have never tired those chips but I have heard of them. I prefer plain potato chips.”

“Ahh, all potato chips are good, it is true. How are you liking the RFA so far?”

“It’s been one day,” she let go of the camera but continued to give it a deadpan stare. “I also find it quite rude that you know my name and what I look like and all I have is a number and a scratchy voice… drink some water.”

He gasps, “S-Scratchy voice? Me? God 707?! It can’t be! I shall fix it with PHD. Pepper, the best Doctor around!” there is a small pause, and then a sniff, “There. All better- and you know my name. The other’s couldn’t keep it a secret for more than 2 minutes. V was actually the one to give it away in the chat- I feel so betrayed.” he sobbed.

“Your voice still sounds mangled. The soda is making it worse, only water can help,” she turned around to grab her mug again. “And that does not count. _I_ told you my name. I expect the same courtesy out of you.”

“That sounds a little fair.” he agrees with a giggle, “Since you already know it, I am Luciel. Or Seven. Or 707. God Seven, whatever you are most comfortable with~ It's funny, I’m talking to you on the phone like this and I feel way more comfortable talking with you than with everyone else~ haha. What is up with that?”

Shizuka shrugged, leaning back on the counter. “I trained for years to make people comfortable in my presence when I want them to be. It is a valuable skill as a private detective. Which is also how I can tell you still have not gotten any water.” She sent a pointed glare to the camera.  “I think I will stick with Luciel. I have too many things tied to numbers, it would just be confusing.”

“Okie dokie! I’ll go get some water if it will make you happy, but for now I have to get back to work. I am returning to the world of Darkness! BAAM!”

“Bring a flashlight,” Shizuka advised blandly.

* * *

 

**Location: Nicole's garage (DRASTIC TIME SKIP!) But not really... it's maybe been two hours... or three? two and a half...**

* * *

“Hey fellas.” Nicole whistles to them as she punched in, adjusting her jumpsuit.

“Nicole!” they all share high fives as they pass, “Your old man is up front with a dinger.”

“Course he is.” she rolls her eyes and moves to the door, tossing a handtowel over her shoulder, “Hey, Papi.”

“Baby girl~!” his head shoots out from behind the back of the run down vehicle he was working on, “Come here~” he holds out his arms. Embracing him, Nicole chuckles.

“You sure do have a job on your hands.” she motions to the rusty pickup, “What’s the damage?”

“What doesn’t this thing have wrong?” her dad groaned, “The engine is as old as me, the headlights are busted, it honks every 10 minutes- I could us a hand.” 

“I’ll give ya two.” Nicole lifts up her palms, smiling like a troll. Ducking when her dad tossed his towel at her, she slid into the passenger seat, curiously turning it on to listen to the engine. Wincing at the ugly sound she turned it off and rolled down the window. Leaning an arm out, she grins, “Purrs like a whale.”

“That is the problem.” there was a small pause as they worked before her Dad says, “So, anything new happen lately? I haven’t had a chance to see you here at the shop with how busy we are.”

“Well- more or less?” she cringes, “I got a new job.”

“Ooh?” he muses, cleaning the car oil off his hands, “Not feeling enough excitement working at the shop?”

She sends him a sly smile, “That isn’t it- I never meant to get the job, it just happened. It is little group that throw events and whatever.” she explains, throwing in as little detail as possible, “The gang joined it with me.”

“How are those goofs doing any way?” Her father was circling the car, tapping the tires to check the air in them.

“They are fine- Mark and Arinna found a place to stay for a while.”

“Good for them!”

Jumping at the sound of screeching tires they both turned to the road, watching in shock as a limo shot up onto the sidewalk across the street, slamming into a fire hydrant. A smaller car skid in the other direction, swirling to a stop.

From what Nicole could assume, the two had rammed into each other when the other tried to turn, sending the two spiraling.

The few citizens walking about were screaming and shouting in shock, pulling out their phones to call the police and rush to the cars and help the drivers. “Jeez-” Nicole winced. No one seemed to be hurt, and the drivers were fine, each stepping out to yell furious words at the other.

They were both older men, the one in the smaller truck looking as if he was at the age of his life where he really shouldn’t be behind the wheel anymore.

“And one is even a limo…” Her Dad folds his arms and shakes his head. Pursing his lips, he grins, “Think they’ll come here?”

“Well, we are right here.” Nicole motions to the shop, “But they might have their own garage they like to go to. Must be someone rich for it to be a limo.” She cut herself off as a tall man dressed in a black suit stepped out from the back of the Limo. He adjusted his tie, looking safe but pissed.

The Driver as well as a similar dressed man looking like a security guard were rushing to the man, panicking over his state of being, fretting on whether he was hurt or not. He waved them off, stepping back to assess the damage, frowning.

She felt as though she had seen him before- but where? Moving forward, pushing through the small crowd that had formed, she stared at the back of the man’s head. He turned slightly, revealing his face. He seemed almost bored at the situation and was texting on his phone, most likely to inform where ever he was headed that he would be late.

She had definitely seen him before!!

Needing confirmation to her assumption she pulled out her phone to open the Messenger. Making a chatroom, which she named " **Reveal thy self, Villain", s** he waited patiently to see if anyone would join her. The man ahead of her lifted his phone curiously when it not so coincidentally buzzed.

**Jumin has entered the Chatroom**

**Jumin** : _Nicole, good evening._

THE VILLAIN HAS BEEN REVEALED!

 **Nicole:** _AHHH! No way, it is you! It is really you!_

 **Jumin:** What are you talking about?

Nicole couldn't believe her eyes- what were the chances? Taking this as an opportunity to really figure out what these RFA people were like, she sent Jumin a quick message

 **Nicole:** Way to take out a fire hydrant~ Shouldn’t you focus on the wreck instead of messing on your phone?

On cue, the man in front of her, confirmed to be Jumin Han, turned around wildly, scanning the crowd. Since he had never even seen a picture of her however, he had no idea what he was looking for.

 **Jumin:** How do you know about that? Are you-?

His gaze looked towards the old man who had hit the side of his limo

 **Nicole:** I AM NOT THE OLD MAN! Rude~!

Going to her camera she took a quick picture of the back of Jumin’s head and sent it to him. He turned to follow the direction of the camera. Snorting a bit at his eyes narrowed and gave a serious glare to the crowd. She lifted her hand, sending him a little wave.

He spotted her instantly, eyes widening. Putting his phone away and motioning for his guard to stay put he approached the crowd until he stood before Nicole. “...Nicole.” he says

"....Por que?" she gave the most confused look. Jumin's confidence faltered. "No speaka de korean," she was totally bombing her Spanish! She should have gone Greenlandic! She could survive at least three conversations in that language! Or even go with her native language of Polish! But it was fine, it seemed to fly over Jumin's head, so she was in the clear.

"Oh, I apologize. I thought you were someone else?" he peered over her head to the ground, puzzled. When he heard her snort he looked back down, squinting, "Wait... why did you wave to me?"

"You look like chinchilla I have," she says, adding a heavy accent from who knows where. Jumin's face looks as though it couldn't pick from being insulted or intrigued. 

"I beg your pardon?"

"Very cute man. Big eyes. Big cheeks. Very chubby," how she managed to keep a poker face, was beyond even her. Perhaps Shizuka was rubbing off on her? 

Jumin's hands slowly reached up to his waist, giving his hips a subconscious squeeze, "...Oh?"

"Yes," she nodded enthusiastically. Thank god Shizuka had packed her a lunch, fore she was able to pull a few carrots from her pocket and hold them out to him. "You eat, yes?" when he didn't reply immediately, she adds, "Get bigger. Get better. Give best of hugs,"

His shocked expression faded, "What do you mean best hugs? How would that help me hug better?"

"Bigger you are, better the hug,"

"Is that how that works?" he asks honestly. 

"Yes," she nods sagely. 

"I see. I will take that into consideration," he hums.

He will? Legit? HE WILL?

Nicole realized something horrible. She was talking to a baby. A literal baby. You wouldn't think so at first because he disguised it with the suit and the robotic facial structure, but those eyes. Those wide, naive, Arinna like eyes!!! She almost felt guilty now. 

Struggling to contain it, she throws her head back, "I'm sorry!!! It's me!! It's Nicole!!"

Jumin jumps, "You are??"

"YESSSSSS~ I don't even speak Spanish. My family is from Poland!"

"Why did you lie?" he blinked rapidly 

"Why did you believe me?? Everyone around us is watching and they totally knew I was fibbing!" 

The crowd nodded in agreement. 

There is a light flush to Jumin's cheeks, "W-What?" 

The wave of guilt got worse, "I-I mean, no one here knew I was fibbing. They totally bought it too. Right, guys??" she gave them an insistent look. The crowd slowly nodded. Jumin looked relieved. 

"I see," he clears his throat, "Well, I had originally come over here to introduce myself to you. So-" he extends his hand, "Jumin Han,"

“Nice to meet you, Jumin Han.”

His lips curl ever so slightly and he shakes her hand. “I admit to be surprised to see you here, I thought that I wouldn’t be able to meet you until the date of the party.” 

“Me too.” she shrugs, more than happy to push this incident to the side as the crowd dispersed, “But hey, you are here now.”

“Indeed. The questions however, is why are you here? Do you live within the area?”

“Actually-” she motions over her shoulder, “That garage over there is my Family’s shop. I was at work when I saw the accident, and when I saw you I had to check to see if you were who I thought you were.”

He smiles a bit, “It would seem almost coincidental that I would crash directly in front of your auto repair shop.”

Nicole held up her hands, “I don’t control fate, but I can offer my services if you would like.” she extended out her arm. He glanced back at the Limo. 

"I probably shouldn't just leave this to them...." 

He eyed his poor driver who was being threatened by the elderly man, who was waving around a pumpkin and a leek. 

"I swear to the lord almighty, if you don't get out of my way I will shlap you so hard, you'll go back in time to your Mother and apologize for being born!!!"

Jumin paled, "I'd love to," he says quickly, shuffling them both inside to avoid the mess. 

Stepping into the garage, Jumin adjusted his tie. Extending his hand out when Nicole’s Father came forward, he gave a business smile. “Thank you for offering your services.” he says.

“Anything for a friend of my baby girl.” he grinned.

Jumin blinked once at this then looked back at Nicole, “Oh I see, you are her Father.” he noted, “Then it is an honor.”

“Here, come inside.” Nicole motions for him to follow, “I’ll get you a drink while you wait for your car to be fixed.”

“Thank you.” Jumin follows after her, glancing from side to side.

Startled when something rubbed against his ankle, Jumin stepped back. “...A cat.” his eyes sparkled at the sight of the small kitten at his feet.

“Oh, that is Spakle.” Nicole grinned. Bending down to lift him up, she held him up for Jumin to see, “I found this little guy a few months ago. Isn’t he cute?”

“Adorable.’ Jumin agrees with almost a swoon in his voice.  

"Ain't she just?" Nicole gushed. As Jumin fawned over Spakle's eternally sad shaped kitten eyes, Nicole moved around the counter to grab a drink from the small fridge. "Water or lemonade?"

"Lemonade, please."

She handed him a tall glass of apple juice, "Yeah, I asked before I fully looked inside. You okay with juice?"

Jumin smiles, "That works too,"

"Cool," she grins, "I'm gonna go help out my Papi. You sit here and we will have your car up and running in no time flat,"

Taking a seat, Spakle in his lap, he nods, "Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mark and Jaehee are fans for life~
> 
> Arinna helps Zen through his trials and tribulations facing the truth about himself. He insists he isn't transgender. She just wants him to accept himself. 
> 
> Avelia is also a woman??? And Shizuka is a man??? What is going on here?? 
> 
> This is the problem with online communication 
> 
> And there is a party or something? Probably...


	3. Heart Attacks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zen is still a lady, so is Avelia, but Shizuka isn't, chit chats and some sprinkled in phone calls are nice, and something might be off about that food.

* * *

**Location: Mark and Arinna's new crib. AKA, Rika's apartment. Double AKA, the place where 707 spies on them**

* * *

 

“Ugh, Jesus.”

Arinna looked up at the sound of Mark’s disgusted mumble from the kitchen.

“Is something wrong?” she called.

“Welp,” he leaned back from where he was looking inside the fridge, using one hand to both hold the door and allow him to bend far enough to see Arinna past the doorway, “Shizuka went shopping a few hours ago…”

Arinna looked over at said investigator who was curled up on the far chair. Her eyes were illuminated by the screen of her computer but it didn’t seem as though she could hear them past her large headphones. Her eyes remained riveted to the screen.

“Yeah?” she questioned, looking back at him.

“Yeah,” he sounded downtrodden, “all I’m seeing is green here.”

Arinna blinked. “Like… lucky green?”

“There is no happy luck here oh sister of mine.”

Her nose crinkled. “Then… Broccoli green?”

“By the _motherlode.”_

“Ew.” Arinna paused. “Now I have to pee.”

Mark gave a startled, disgruntled look. “You gotta stop telling me this stuff Rinna. I do not want to know.”

“Well, then you gotta stop putting your icicle feet against my warm tummy at night to keep them cozy.”

Mark sent her a wide, pleading look. “But your warm belly is the only thing that can possibly warm the cold soles of my feet!”

“Then we are at a crossroads.”

They stared each other down for a long minute.

“...Mark,” Shizuka’s voice suddenly cut between them. She was squinting at them, one side of her headphones pulled away. “What the fuck are you doing.”

She didn’t phrase it as a question.

Arinna, deciding to avoid that danger zone, hopped up to find the bathroom.

“Close the damn fridge.” Shizuka scowled.

“...kay.” Mark closed the door with a discouraged frown.

Shizuka rolled her eyes. “Why were you even-?”

“Mark!” Arinna’s voice echoed down the hall. “I found the potty!”

“It’s called a bathroom Arinna!” Mark called back cheerfully.

“Some people call it a restroom too! Though… I don’t know who would want to rest in here!”

Shizuka, despairing for what her life had come to, pulled her headphones back in place and lost herself to her work once more.

“Oh. My. Mark! Maarrk! MaRK!”

Mark’s face pulled back into the frog look of disdain all older brothers had when their younger siblings were whining at them for their attention. Arinna, the ever attention seeking blob, would never give in until he surrendered to her will.

“Whaaaattt,” he bemoaned, feet slapping the tile as he waddled down the hall, head thrown back like a drama actor with her nose so high in the air she could only see the sky.

The moment he was within arms reach she started slapping him on the shoulder, eyes wide with excitement as she dragged him to the bathroom.

“Arinna, you are way too old for me to be escorting you to the bathroom. I don’t care if you think it's haunted or if there is a flippin serial kill- kill- oh my.”

Mark, cursed to be forever enthralled by anything that so much as twinkled, was stopped in his tracks by the sight of the large, beautiful, glistening jetub just waiting to be used.

Arinna leaned in close, one hand resting on his shoulder as though to hold herself up.

“Is it-,” she started voice full of cautious hope. “Is it real?”

Mark shook his head. “I don’t know. Reach out and touch it.”

With shaky steps the,y approached what was sure to be just a hallucination of their poor, van addled minds.

Arinna reached it first. Finger trembling she reached out slowly and…

“Ahhhh!” they both screamed the moment it brushed the smooth marble surface.

“It’s real! It’s real! It’s real!” they squealed, clasping each others hands and jumping up and down excitedly.

“Hey!” something was banging an echoing beat from the main room. “Shut up in there!”

“Shizuka!” they called with all the childlike wonder they could muster. “There’s a bathtub in here!”

“Oh for the love of- then take a bath you plebeians!”

The two froze, sharing a look of pure rivalry.

“Nose goes!” Arinna shouted, simultaneously touching her nose with her left index finger while covering Mark’s nose with the entirety of her right hand so that his index finger met futilely with her own knuckles.

“Hey!” he shouted, smacking her hand away. “We weren’t playing street rules!”

“Suck it loser!” Arinna blew a raspberry at him, shoving him out of the bathroom before he could protest further.

“Oh!” the tall string bean of a man suddenly brightened. “Wait, wait, wait! Don’t take a bath yet!”

“I’m not falling for that,” Arinna scowled at him, her actions betraying her as she was already lowering her hands from their pushing position.

“No, Rinna, I’m serious. You know those weird bath bomb things?”

She gasped, eyes lighting up like christmas lights. Mark matched her expression easily.

“Right, you go to the bathroom and I’ll run down to that corner store Avelia and Shizuka told us about to get as many bath bombs as I can, okay? And get the duckies from the van! Avelia drove it back for us earlier so it’s just outside.”

“On it!” Arinna saluted.

Mark rushed down the hall, snagging his shoes and trying to slip them on without falling. He jumped when a debit card smacked him in the face. Catching it before it could fall he looked over at Shizuka curiously.

“Grab a Tea Leaves one as well,” she told him, her headphones firmly in place.

Mark squinted at her. “For noise canceling headphones you sure do hear a lot.”

Shizuka smirked at him, choosing not to answer. “Grab some snack for yourselves as well if you need to. Only three unhealthy choices for the both of you.”

Mark pursed his lips. “...We don’t want to use your money.”

“You won’t be,” she replied casually. “You’ll be using your money. I have a few things for the two of you to do. Consider this a down payment.”

“Ominous but I’ll take it.”

“Yay!” Arinna cheered, having just caught a bit of the conversation. “Shizuka’s dirty work!”

Double checking that Piggles was still snuggly underneath Shizuka’s blanket (and sneaking a quick, thankful peck on her head to which she hissed at him) he ducked out the front door.

Arinna, like any normal citizen of the world that had never handled a phone before would do, startled when her phone buzzed in the pocket of her pants.

“Shizuka?” she called.

She could hear the heavy sigh from here. “...What?”

“Is it okay to answer your phone when you’re on the toilet or is that gross? Should I wait until I wash my hands?”

Shizuka closed her eyes and took a deep, steady breath. “If it's your phone it’s fine. You’re the only one using it.”

Arinna stifled an upset gasp. “But it’s not mine! It’s- oh. Oh my god. Is this Rika’s phone?! Shizuka, am I using a dead girl’s phone?! Am I using a dead girl's phone _on the toilet?!_ ”

“How have you survived this long?! Just use the damn phone and leave me alone!”

Deciding that she really had had enough for one morning Shizuka picked up the dangling cord of her headphones and actually plugged them in this time. Right as she did so her phone buzzed. Flipping it over she gave it a cursory glance and debated on how much more social interaction she could handle for the day.

 **707** : 01001000 01100101 01101100 01101100 01101111 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 01110010 01100101 00100000 01010011 01101000 01101001 01111010 01110101 01101011 01100001 00100001 00100000 01000111 01101111 01101111 01100100 00100000 01101101 01101111 01110010 01101110 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100001 00100000 01001000 01101111 01110111 00100000 01100001 01110010 01100101 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00100000 01110100 01101111 01100100 01100001 01111001 00111111 00100000 00110111 00110000 00110111 00100000 01101000 01100001 01110011 00100000 01100011 01101111 01101101 01100101 00100000 01110100 01101111 00100000 01101111 01100110 01100110 01100101 01110010 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00100000 01100001 00100000 01100111 01101111 01101111 01100100 00100000 01101101 01101111 01110010 01101110 01101001 01101110 01100111

Shizuka closed her eyes. “...Why. Just, why?” she scrubbed at her eyes. Alright, first she would decipher it, and then decide whether he was in trouble or he needed a serious lesson in texting etiquet.

“Hello there Shizuka good morning how are you today seven zero seven has come to offer you a good morning.”

…

Shizuka pinched the bridge of her nose.

 **Shizuka:** 01010111 01100001 0111001101100001 01101100 01101100 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100001 01110100 00100000 01100101 01100110 01100110 01101111 01110010 01110100 00100000 01110010 01100101 01100001 01101100 01101100 01111001 00100000 01110111 01101111 01110010 01110100 01101000 00100000 01100001 00100000 01110011 01101001 01101101 01110000 01101100 01100101 00100000 01100111 01101111 01101111 01100100 00100000 01101101 01101111 01110010 01101110 01101001 01101110 01100111 00111111 (Was all that effort really worth a simple good morning?)

As anticipated a red heart lunged at her from the screen. Prepared this time she backhanded the little sucker to the other side of the room. It let out a pitiful squeak and scurried down the hall. She could hear Arinna scream when it slid past her ankles.

“One of the hearts is loose!” Arinna warned.

“Why do you have the bathroom door open?” Shizuka shouted back at her.

“I haven’t started pottying yet!” she called, “So I had the door open…”

She was friends with actual children. Honestly. “Close the door and go to the bathroom! I’ll get the heart later.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” she whined back. “And it’s in here somewhere! I think it went behind the sink!”

“Arinna,” Shizuka warned. “If you make me get off of this chair I guarantee you will end up in one with wheels.”

There was a long pause before Arinna spoke, “Alright, I’ll admit the intimidation is strong right now. I’ll just pee and hope it… doesn’t see.”

Shizuka took a deep breath. “...If you truly need me to get it out of there for you then I will but it should be fine Arinna. You can leave the door open a crack if it makes you feel more comfortable.”

Shizuka heard a small creak from the door and then silence. Shaking her head fondly she put her headphones back in place.

Ready to reel back in her focus her phone buzzed once again, this time to show a new chat room appearing on the RFA app. She groaned, contemplating if she would even bother to enter it. She had so much work to do, yet at the same time still had a lot to learn about this new group.

Deciding she could spare a few minutes she set her computer to the side and dived in.

## 10:04 – Seven loves cats

**Jumin has entered the chatroom**

**707 has entered the chatroom**

**Arinna has entered the chatroom**

**Shizuka has entered the chatroom**

**707:** Good morning~!

 **Arinna:** Hello! :3

 **Shizuka:** I see you have made your choice, Arinna. Make sure to wash your hands…

 **Arinna:** >///< Don’t bring that up..!!

 **Shizuka:** You are the one who insisted I give you my input.

 **707:** Oh? What are you two talking about

 **Arinna:** Nothing.. ‘’ !! Personal stuff… about personal times….

 **Shizuka:** She was debating on whether or not to use her phone when using the bathroom.

 **Arinna:** NOOOOOO!

 **Shizuka** : Revenge is a dish best served cold Arinna.

 **Arinna:** I already have to deal with that heart being in here, don’t tell them that..!! T-T

 **707:** ?? Oh… Even talking about this is kind of embarrassing. Lol. ***Embarrassed 707 Emoji***

 **Arinna:** T-T Nooooo

 **Jumin:** I see. Then some people do practice the use of their personal devices while using the bathroom. It certainly would save me a few precious minutes of work

 **Arinna:** … Thanks Jumin :)

 **Jumin:** When at home I often get distracted while going to the restroom. Distracted by…. Cute little paws under the door :)

 **Arinna** : Awww, me too! Except, well, hooves and snouts instead of paws.

 **707: *Shocked 707 emoji*** Hooves and snouts! Do you have a horse in your house?!

 **Shizuka:** No. Only a piglet. I would send you a picture, but she isn’t very…. Photogenic

**Avelia has entered the chatroom**

**Avelia:** You take that back you fiend!

 **Arinna:** Whoa! Hey Ave! It’s like you sensed Shizuka saying that! 0.0

 **Avelia** : A mother always knows when something is wrong with their child!!

 **707:** Are you saying you are the pig’s mother…?? Could such a relationship be true?? You birthed a pig??

 **Arinna:** Technically…. Avelia helped Piggles’ mom give birth to her XD

 **Avelia:** It was so beautiful T-T

 **Shizuka:** -_-

 **Shizuka** : Luciel, Jumin, what are your plans for today?

 **Jumin:** I am still attempting to get to work after some difficulties

 **707:** Did you get distracted by Elly again? :3 you all know Jumin has a cat right? ***This was followed by a cute picture of a snow white cat***

 **Jumin:** ***Angry Jumin Emoji*** Where did you get that picture?

 **707:** I have my ways… also, you post at least 10 of these a day :3

 **Jumin:** Oh, yes, you are correct. I’m worried there are a lot of people out there who don’t understand the beauty of cats. Their grace…. I should have my company carry out more cat-related business to spread this message.

 **Shizuka** : Your company deals in animal products?

 **707:** He’s more of just a cat mom :3

 **Jumin:** I’m not against that term. Any Cat related business of my company is more of personal projects I have an interest in.

 **Avelia:** That is a pretty… royal looking cat 0.0

 **Arinna:** So pretty! Blue eyes!

 **707:** I know right? She’s a pretty chill cat

 **Jumin:** She is not cool. She is very picky.

 **Avelia:** Like Shizuka!

 **Shizuka:** Watch it.

 **707:** Hah. She isn’t picky with me.

 **Jumin:** That’s because you forced Elizabeth the 3rd to …. _God._ I don’t even want to talk about it.

 **Arinna:** Was it that bad…?

 **Jumin:** That and more!!

 **707:** Hah, it’s easy to picture Jumin giving her cat food in his suit, pampering her. Lol

 **Jumin:** She deserves the best. Speaking of, 707… This is a chance for you to use your corrupt money for good. Donate some cat food.

 **707:** Really? If I do will you let me play with Elly??

 **Jumin:** I will never give her to you even if someone points a gun at my face!!

 **Avelia:** I feel that way with Piggles sometimes when Mark wants to take her for a walk…

 **707:** Can’t I just come over to your house then to play Jumin? With your Jet box and Gray station~ :3

 **Jumin:** Those are not there for you. _Don’t come over. Never come over._

 **Arinna:** Ohhh~ A Jet box and Gray station! Mark has told me about those!

 **Arinna:** I’m not the best at playing most video games. Except for Lololol….

 **Avelia:** XD It’s just LOLOL Arinna.

 **707:** It just takes practice, the more you play the better you get! Just like… the more I play with my darling Elly the better things will be Jumin!

 **Jumin:** She is not your anything, she is purely, and wonderfully herself.

 **707:** I’d play nice!

 **Jumin:** I have video footage of you biting Elizabeth the 3rd’s neck on security tapes!! If you come over security will stop you!

 **Shizuka:** …

 **Arinna:** O^O

 **Avelia:** D:

 **Arinna:** Why would you bite a sweet kitty’s neck…??’’’

 **Jumin:** Yes, exactly. I still shudder at the thought. My poor Elizabeth… traumatized!

 **707:** Lol~

 **Jumin:** Be wary around 707. He is a dangerous man because… _He never listens._

 **Shizuka:** Then he is the type of person to joke around a lot. Like you Arinna.

 **Arinna:** Ah.

 **707:** Yep, exactly! You totally get me unlike everyone else~

 **Jumin:** A dangerous and a joking man are very different

 **707:** Lol, I’m not dangerous. She is alive and well.

 **Jumin:** Barely, she is alive for now.

 **707:** Talking about her makes me want to see her again! ***Heart eyed emoji*** Maybe I should get a cat? To show my love to? So people would see I have nothing but love for others!

 **Jumin:** If that is love, then you are a sadist

 **707:** What is that? Lol

 **Jumin:** Don’t ask, you already know. Also, don’t ever come near Elizabeth again. Not only that, but you also seem to have been to Rika’s apartment, which I was told none of us were allowed to do. What other secrets do you have?

 **707:** It was top secret and private information I couldn’t talk about! ***Flustered emoji***

 **Jumin:** How many secrets do you have? You give me goosebumps ;;

 **707:** I’m in charge of handling top secret information lol Don’t fear me. If you come over to my place I’ll give you a smothering hug! <3

 **Jumin:** I’m leaving. I’m really going to work now. I only stuck around while I waited for my second driver to pick me up. Also, there is a very adorable kitten who is playing with my shoelaces and needs my attention :)

 **707:** Elly is so cute~

 **Jumin:** I wasn’t referring to her

 **707:**??

**Jumin: *Picture of a brown cat with multi-colored small spots***

**707: *Shocked 707 emoji***

**Arinna:** Hey, that looks like Spackle~! So cute!

 **Avelia** : Yeah it does! What are the odds of that XD

 **Shizuka:** … That IS Spackle. What are you doing at Nicole’s garage?

 **Arinna:** I can even see Nicole’s foot in the picture!!! Did you track her down??!

 **707: *Multiple shocked 707 emojis*** Jumin??

 **Jumin:** I would never stoop to such a level. It was by pure chance that we ran into each other

 **Shizuka:** I do not believe in ‘chance’

 **Jumin:** And a fire hydrant.

 **Shizuka:** Ah.

 **Jumin:** I was in a small traffic accident on my way to work in front of Nicole’s shop. She has kindly offered to take care of the damages and offered me a drink as I waited. She has even taken what is known to be a _selfie_ with me. ***Photo of Nicole wrapping an arm around a puzzled Jumin, grinning.***

 **Arinna:** Awwwww

 **Avelia:** Awww

 **Shizuka:** Jumin you look a little… startled.

 **707:** Whoa! That’s Nicole?!

 **Shizuka:** …-_-

 **Jumin:** I have never taken such an abrupt selfie before. Or one so close to another person. It was quite startling.

 **Arinna:** I bet she smelled like Cinnamon. Nicole tends to smell like that :3 It’s her favorite body scrub~

 **Avelia:** Oh yeah, she always smells the best! And there’s always a bit of that new car smell you know?

 **Jumin:** I did take note of that, yes.

 **707: *Blushing Emoji*** oh ho~?

 **Shizuka:** Arinna, Mark is back. Come help him with the bags before he hurts himself.

 **Arinna:** BUBBLE BATH! Oh hey wait, not that I mind, but why don’t you help him? I’m… you know… busy…

 **Shizuka** : I hope your car is a simple fix Jumin,

 **Arinna:** Shizuka

 **Shizuka:** And Luciel don’t think I didn’t notice you avoiding the question earlier about your plans for the day.

 **Arinna:** Shizuka…

 **Shizuka:** Dinner is at 6:30 tonight Avelia. Will you be back in time to make it or should we switch cooking days?

 **Arinna:** Shizuka stop avoiding me!

 **Avelia:**...Um, I should be back in time…

 **Shizuka:** Good, then I will see you then.

 **Arinna:** Shizuka you water bug, don’t ignore me!! >:0

 **Shizuka** : Arinna…

 **Arinna:** :D Yes?

 **Shizuka:** Make sure to take a quick shower before your bathe. That way you do not have to worry about contaminating all the water with your filth.

**Shizuka has left the chatroom**

**Arinna:** You little scrub… I take back what I said about sharing the goods with you. You get no bubble bath!

 **Avelia:** Afraid Shizuka has already left. Have a good bubble bath though. You probably haven’t had one in forever :)

 **Arinna:** I’m so excited!

 **707:** Bubble bath? ***Sparkly eyed 707 emoji***

 **Avelia:** I have my eyes on you 707

 **707:** Why?

 **Avelia:** If I had my own emojis I’d be giving you a squinty eyed look

 **Jumin:** Privacy is important

 **707:** I didn’t mean it like that! A bubble bath just sounded nice! ;;; Have you not had one in a while?

 **Arinna:** Not for a few years. Usually, it is just quick showers… Rika’s apartment has the nicest bathtub I’ve ever seen though.

 **707:** Then enjoy it to the fullest! Since you brought it up avelia, I’ll start working on those emojis

 **Avelia:** YESH!

 **Jumin:** If that is all then, I will be leaving. Have a nice day.

 **Arinna:** bye!

 **Avelia:** See ya!

**Jumin has left the chatroom**

**707:** Can’t believe Jumin has already met one of you face to face. I’m almost jealous..! I was certain we wouldn’t see any of you until the first party or something.

 **Arinna:** Are we not allowed to meet earlier than that?

 **707:** Nah. Just didn’t think it would happen only a day after this all started. Welp! Can’t do anything about that! Lol

 **Arinna:** Yeah. OOH! Gotta go! I hear Mark screaming that Piggles is biting his ankles! Bye!

**Arinna has left the chatroom**

**Avelia:** She probably was biting him because he was doing that annoying sound he always does when he sees her.

 **707:** Annoying sound? Lol

 **Avelia:** He puts his hands up, stomps his feet, and starts making some weird ostrich call! And he KNOWS that those horrible beasts are Piggles’ MORTAL ENEMY!! She charges the second she so much as hears one! Well, anyway… Hope you have a good morning Seven. Have a good breakfast and I’ll talk to you later! Gotta finish of my morning exercise!

 **707:** Ah, you sound so diligent… good luck! 

**Avelia has left the chatroom**

**707 has left the chatroom**

As Mark and Arinna began skipping excitedly towards the kitchen so they could go through everything Shizuka slowly shut down her laptop and began to stand.

“By the way, you two,” she started, calmly following behind them.

“Yeah?” they replied distractedly.

“I’m hoping the two of you have noticed the security cameras around the house. Luciel, or 707, is able to keep watch on everything through them. He said he would stop if you both wanted him to, seeing as how you two will be the main two residents of this place, but it might be a good idea to have someone externally keeping watch over you until we know who it was that brought us here and why.

“Yeah, sure, sounds cool,” they nodded, not really paying attention. Shizuka rolled her eyes and plucked one of the bath bombs out of the bag as she walked back out.

“Oh cool!” Arinna oohed and awed over the contents of the bags. “There are so many!”

“Yeah!” Mark’s grin was big enough to make his eyes squint halfway closed. “There’s even-”

The soft click of a door and the metallic shift of a lock falling into place drew their attention towards the hallway. Slowly, almost afraid, they looked towards Shizuka’s chair.

The blanket was folded neatly along the back cushion, laptop resting on the ground next to it with the headphones carefully rolled on top.

The sound of running water reached their ears.

“No…” Arinna breathed.

Mark dumped the bags out, desperately searching for-

“It’s not here,” he nearly sobbed. The Tea Leaf bath bomb was missing.

“NOOOOOOO!”

Shizuka hummed softly to herself as she checked the temperature of the water. Ignoring the commotion going on outside she prepared for a nice, _long_ , relaxing bath.

Ah, she had almost forgotten.

Kneeling down she reached behind the sink. Something hopped into her palm. Pulling her arm back she stared down at the little red heart. It rested against her skin calmly, whatever had been making it move clearly gone like the hearts before it.

“I wonder if there is a time limit on how long you can move,” she murmured, tucking it away into the pocket of the pants she would be changing into. More experiments were going to be needed.

 

## 11:58 – Seven’s Investigation

**Yoosung has entered the chatroom**

**Nicole has entered the chatroom**

**707 has entered the chatroom**

**Mark has entered the chatroom**

**Nicole:** My lunch~! IT IS HERE! Got Jumin’s car inside to start repairs, sent him on his merry way, and now I am surrounded by smelly men. I almost miss when Jumin was here.He added a sense of class. :IO;iohasg;hiowepoj! THAT DANG PURPLE HEART AGAIN! Smacked me right in the face!!

 **707:** lol, whut

 **Mark:** Sup nerds. What’s up? And Nicole, suck it up. At least you have the ability to clean up! I am left, poor and desolate, waiting outside the bathroom for Arinna to get her big fat butt out of the tub and let me in!

 **Nicole:** You mean you do actually bathe from time to time??

 **Mark:** >:(

 **Nicole:** The more you know...

 **Yousung** : ...Sooo 7, what are you up to?

 **707** : researching

 **Nicole:** You seem like a computer buff, you’re sure you aren’t just playing games?

 **Yoosung** : 7 doesn’t play games like me, you should play LOLOL with me later!

 **Mark:** Sorry to say man but Nicole is not actually a big gamer and I can only play when I go to Avelia or Shizuka’s place. Ask them later though if you want!

 **707** : Cant play games?! ***shocked emoji face*** What a sad path through life! And I play games

 **Yoosung** : What?!

 **707** : I am ranked number 1 on the shooting star server

 **Yoosung** : What are you talking about?? The top player in the server is HackerGod. That can’t be you.

 **Nicole:** ...dude

 **Mark:**...dude

 **Yoosung** : Wait… No way!

 **707** : ehehe * **Giggly emoji** *

 **Yoosung** : No way **.** No, wait. When would you even have time to play games.

 **707** : lmfao

 **Yoosung:** it’s not you right?!

 **707** : It might be. It might not be. Another me could be playing.

 **Yoosung** : What do you mean?!

 **707** : the truth will be revealed one day. Those are the words of god.

 **Mark:** pft

 **Yoosung** : You’re not playing right now are you?

 **707** : heh lol. I’m just researching right now.

 **Yoosung** : researching what?

 **707** : I’m looking for the person who guided our new members to Rika’s apartment

 **Nicole:** Oh, nice! I was wondering if anyone was actually, you know, looking into that. Cause let me tell you, that guy had creeper vibes like no other.

 **Mark:** She’s not wrong.

 **Yoosung** : oh! If you find out will you tell everyone?

 **707** : That depends on what V says, as always.

 **Nicole:** ...Okay? Don’t you think we have a right to know something like that?

 **Yoosung** : yeah they have the right to know! They were kidnapped!

 **Mark:** XD dude, what? No, we totally walked into this. Like, we even talked about how shady it was and took a vote and everything and we still all walked through that door.

 **707** : Yeah that’s true. If you just deleted the app in the first place we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

 **Yoosung** : but still, you’re happy that you met us right?

 **Mark:** Honestly, I’m kinda bored.

 **Nicole:** Ouch

 **Yoosung** : wow. So brutal ;-;

 **707** : lol

 **Nicole:** I’m sure he doesn’t mean it, Yoosung. He’s probably just upset about something else and transferring that gloom and doom towards you

 **Mark** : I am feeling all kinds of blue right now... Shizuka _and_ Arinna both got to use that awesome jet tub, and Arinna is still in there! When is it going to be my turn!

 **707:** lol

 **Nicole:** Jet tub?! Holey smokes, dibs on the next round!

 **Mark** : NO!

 **Yoosung** : So Rika used a Jet tub? Sounds so much like her! But it’s unfair that V gets to know all this information but never shares any in return.

 **707** : Maybe. But it can’t be helped. Why would the information be called ‘classified’ otherwise?

 **Nicole:** ugh, you sound like Shizuka.

 **Mark:** He’s got a point though. Not everyone handles information the same way and sometimes it can make things worse depending on how it is acted on.

 **Yoosung** : still, even about her death. I wasn’t happy with the information V gave me. I have the right to know everything about Rika.

 **Mark:** I don’t know a lot about what happened, so I can’t really put in my two cents, but there have been a lot of times where information about the death of a loved one has been purposefully kept from the family.

 **Nicole:** Yeah. I don’t know if I really agree with that though. I guess it’s needed sometimes but still...

 **707** : well, I didn’t get a lot of information about how Rika left the world either. That’s a shame for me too, but sometimes it’s better not knowing.

 **Nicole:** Rika must have been something pretty special to all of you, huh?

 **Yoosung** : she’s the person who first thought of the parties and the organization. If it weren’t for her there wouldn’t be any parties. And we would have never helped those in need with the funds we raised from the parties.

 **Mark:** Wow, so she started this thing up all by herself? That’s pretty impressive!

 **Nicole:** That takes a crazy amount of determination and ambition. Good for her.

 **Yoosung** : I was glad to be part of it

 **707** : it was fun for me too. More than anything else, I was glad to escape the world and meet the RFA members.

 **Mark:** Friends always make your world a better place.

 **Yoosung** : I wish she were still alive.

 **Nicole:** For what it’s worth, you have my condolences Yoosung. She sounds like she was a pretty amazing person.

 **Mark:** Yeah, especially with how motivated you all are to keep up her work even after her passing. That takes a special kind of bond.

 **Yoosung:**...Thanks

 **Nicole:** And I was once again pelted with the hearts of doom

 **Mark:** Same T-T It was green this time

 **Nicole:** Why are they all different colors?? Does the color coordination mean anything??

 **Yoosung:**...What? Hearts?

 **Nicole:** The hearts that just smack you in the face!

 **Yoosung:** * **Confused Yoosung emoji***

 **Nicole:** Seriously…?

 **707** : Not that hearts aren’t fun but I have to leave now, just got more work.

 **Mark:** Shizuka wants me to ask if you actually ate a real lunch or just chips. Sorry man, looks like you’ve gotten pulled into the web of care.

 **707** : ***blushing emoji*** The web of care? That sounds nice! And yes I had a real lunch. Half a sandwich… And Bhudda chips! I finished my lunch too so I have to go.

**707 has left the chatroom**

**Nicole:** wow, he wasted not time. Smart man.

 **Yoosung:** I should go too, a raid is starting up soon and I want to make sure I have all the right equipment.

 **Mark:** Have fun man!

 **Yoosung:** Thanks! ***cheering emoji***

**Yoosung has left the chatroom**

**Nicole:** My lunch break is almost over too. I’ll see you at dinner Mark. Good luck with the bath!

 **Mark:** T-T One day my time will come. One day!

**Nicole has left the chatroom**

**Mark has left the chatroom**

 

* * *

 

**Location: Avelia's Academy A school for manly men!**

* * *

 

Avelia scribbled away at his notes, keeping his eyes trained on the presentation behind his professor. He loved taking classes on campus, he really did. Meeting new people, getting to actually interact with his teachers for discussions, and just getting outside for more than just exercising and work was such a nice feeling. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t be ecstatic when he graduated.

“Alright, I think this is a good point to take a break. Take fifteen minutes to yourself and then meet back here,” the professor nodded to them, settling down at his desk to go over some papers.

Avelia waited until the people closest to him had moved further away before standing. He didn’t want them to feel like he was looming over them. With a small smile to himself, he stretched his arms above his head and wandered out of the classroom.

As if on a hidden cue his phone started to ring. Pulling it out of his pocket he smiled down at the name and answered it.

“Hey, Nicole!”

The mechanic laughed happily on the other end of the line. “Hey Ave, how’s class? You on break or something? I didn’t actually think you’d pick up.”

Avelia ducked into a side hall to get out other people’s way. “Yup, for fifteen minutes. Why did you call if you didn’t think I’d pick up?”

There were various clinking sounds and the scrape of metal on metal. “Your class doesn’t usually break this early. My hands are kinda full right now, figured I’d just leave a message. Can I ask you a favor?”

“Of course! What do you need?”

“Damn, this is really stuck in there huh?” she muttered to herself, the scraping sound getting even louder. Avelia could hear her dad shouting something in the back as well. “Mark’s in one of those moods again so he told Shizuka he wants to make Cannelloni tonight so your off dinner duty for the day. She grabbed, like, every vegetable under the sun _except_  for spinach. You mind stopping by your place and grabbing some on your way back from class? I remember your mom saying everything was pretty much ready for the picking.”

“Yeah, it should be fine,” Avelia agreed. “I can pick up some more food for Piggles while I’m there too and I kinda wanted to see what that new LOLOL update was all about. Has Shizuka said if we’re staying the night again?”

“Nah, not yet, I think she’s still feeling everything out. What about you? Feel anything off?”

Avelia frowned, thinking about it. “Kind of, but not with the RFA. They all seem like great people. The house…”

“Yeah,” the sounds suddenly stopped and there was a creak of the old back door. Avelia guessed she had stepped outside the workshop. “That weirdo from before too. I don’t think the RFA is anything to worry about right now, ‘especially since Shizuka’s parents knew about them. That other guy though? Something’s not right there.”

Avelia agreed. He wanted to be able to see the best in people, and to believe that this all was nothing more than a happy coincidence but he wasn’t naive. There was a reason he was trying to get into the police force after all.

“I think we shouldn’t panic, but we shouldn’t let our guard down. Even if that person wasn’t trying to do anything to us, they might be trying to do something to the RFA.”

“...Yeah. I don’t know why anyone would target a charity organization but people can be crazy. Want me to let Shizuka know what you’re thinking?”

“No, that’s okay. I can call her between classes and let her know myself. Besides, I’m pretty sure she already has her own thoughts on it.”

Nicole huffed out a laugh. “I don’t doubt it. Alright then, I gotta get back to work. Study hard man!”

Avelia grinned, energy levels rising with the cheer in her voice. “Thanks! See you at dinner, and stay safe!”

“You too. Later!”

Hanging up the phone Avelia glanced at his watch. Five more minutes left. Just enough time to eat a small snack.

“Oh~!” He whispered under his breath after unwrapping one of the small parcels Mark and Shizuka had shoved at him that morning. “Lemon squares, score!”

Just as he began to take his first bite his phone began to ring. Figuring it must have been Shizuka or perhaps even Nicole again he lifted it with a sigh. His Lemon squares could not go without being consumed~!

His grumbling stopped when he saw an unfamiliar name, but the contacts had already listed as _Jaehee._ It was the female member of the RFA. Since he was actually meaning to give one of them a call from time to time to get more information he was happy to pick up.

Chewing wildly to finish his first bite he quickly placed it to his ear. “Hello…?”

“Greetings.” A soft voice says in return, like the ring of a bell. “Is this Avelia?”

“It is. Is this Jaehee?” Avelia smiled.

“Oh! Yes, it is. Your voice is a lot deeper than I expected it to be. It reminds me of Mr. Han’s father. He also has a very deep voice.”

Avelia chuckled, “Are you saying I have the voice of a much older man?”

“More of a voice that is very soothing. One you wouldn’t mind listening to. I often listen to podcasts of stories and poems being read by reassuring voices like yours. It makes listening to the story a more enjoyable experience. My Father… Oh well, he had a very distinguishable voice as well.”

“Oh.” Avelia felt himself smiling at the honest praise tossed his way. “Thank you Jaehee.”

“I hope I’m not bothering you. I found myself on break and wanted to chat more with your friends and you as much as I could. It would be nice to talk to you more in person, but I suppose this will work. It has been years since we have brought in any new members, so I wanted to get to know all of you best I could. Is this a good time?”

“Yeah. I’m having my break from class as well.”

“Oh, class. Then you are a college student?”

“I sure am! I’m in my last year.” he says, picking at his lemon square, putting little pieces into his mouth so he could still speak clearly. “So what do you want to talk about to get to know each other? Hobbies maybe?”

“Hobbies? Oh, well my greatest hobby is watching Zen’s performances! I am his fan.” she adds in quickly, a soft squeal of delight exiting her mouth.

Avelia blinked, this kind of conversation reminding him of Mark. “Oh, right. Zen is a… musician?”

“That is only one of his many, _many_ talents.” she says, “If you are interested, I can lend you my DVDs of his shows. Entertainment is guaranteed. You won’t even notice time passing.”

Avelia chuckled weakly, realizing he had just stumbled upon another loyal fan to a man he had still not seen a single performance of. Not that he didn’t think Zen would be a good actor, he just wasn’t very into shows and movies. He preferred books honestly, and a few games. “Well, maybe.” he says. “If I do I probably have to watch them with the others, or maybe even you. I enjoy things like that more with others.”

“I would be honored to watch them with you! Anyhow, how are you? Are you handling everything okay, especially since joining the RFA so suddenly?”

“It is a lot to suddenly have tossed into your life.” Avelia admits, taking a quick big bite of his lemon square, mewling quietly at the delightful taste.

“I understand completely. I, too, joined the RFA after it was founded. It felt strange, and even a bit scary. But everyone is nice, so please don’t worry.”

“Thanks, Jaehee.” he swallowed with a satisfied sigh. “How long have you been part of the RFA?”

“Not too long. I really only joined because of my connections with Mr. Han. He felt I would be able to help with organizing the parties. It was quite a lot of work the first time we held one. I was so worried I wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

“Well, I’m glad we’re able to help out best we can. Though we still need to figure out which role each of us can do. I, for one, cannot really do emails that well.” he paled, “Getting people to come over for get togethers has never been my forte.”

He could hear her typing on the other end, most likely starting to get back into her work, “Perhaps setting up for the party instead would be easier for you. What exactly are you going to University for, Avelia? Perhaps we can figure out what would best suit you knowing what knowledge and skills you already have?”

“Good idea!” he praised. “Well, the Academy I attend has many different options for the kind of forces or law departments one would want to go into. You want to know the details of any law I can give it to you, teach you any self defenses.”

She sounded shocked, “Self defence and law? Do you mean like a lawyer or-”

“The Police force. I’m going to a police academy right now.” he says with a chuckle. “Sorry, I probably should have just said that first.”

“I see! What a noble job to aim for!” there was a short pause. “Oh, it appears I’m being called for something. I must get going. However, I would enjoy talking more about this with you Avelia. Let us chat again when our schedules allow it!”

“Sure thing, Jaehee. Good luck with work.”

“Thank you. Good bye.” with a click he hung up, and he leaned back into his chair to chow down the rest of his lemon square. Jaehee seemed sweet and level headed. She seemed to be mature yet had a very sweet hobby of enjoying the entertainment works of the other RFA member Zen. Nothing about her screamed creeper or something he should worry about.

“Welp…” he stood, making his way towards his next class. Tapping his chest, right above his heart, he mentally pumped himself up for the rest of his day. “Time to get back to it!

## 12:50 – Jaehee’s expectation

**Mark has entered the chatroom**

**Avelia has entered the chatroom**

**Jaehee has entered the chatroom**

**Mark:** Hello Jaehee

 **Avelia:** Hi! Nice to talk to you again! How is work going? Are you at Lunch?

 **Jaehee** : Hello, Avelia. I am indeed :)  And hello, Mark! I was just thinking about you

 **Mark:** About me?’

 **Avelia:** About ‘us’ buddy

 **Jaehee** : Yes. Well, more of all of you since you are at Rika’s apartment. And other than you and your friends, no can go near that place. It is quite an irony. We who have worked with Rika can not enter the place and yet you, who are complete strangers, can stay there. If you fill Rika’s position then maybe we will be able to host parties again. What do you think?

 **Avelia:** Suddenly I feel a lot more pressure about this. I’m not really good at planning parties… or any social event

 **Jaehee:** You did mention that before during our call

 **Mark:** Oh, we can call each other? Hah, I still remember the work fest you tried to have two years ago.

 **Avelia:** You said you liked that T-T

 **Mark:** I said it was funny, which it was. Arinna was running around with worms in her pie

 **Jaehee:** Worms in her… PIE??

 **Mark:** It wasn’t ideal

 **Avelia:** T-T

 **Mark:** Cheer up buddy. Stressing won’t help anything. I think this party thing is going to be fun!

 **Jaehee** : Fun? I don’t know, it is ultimately about dealing with people. So I guess it can be fun depending on your personality.

 **Avelia:** I really don’t think guests are something I should handle. Can’t I do something else?

 **Jaehee:** Well of course. We can find another job for you. With how little members we have most members tended to have multiple tasks. It will be nice to share some of the responsibilities

 **Mark:** This party coordinator… What will we have to do specifically for that?

 **Jaehee** : That is a good question! I will explain ***happy jaehee emoji*** Rika exchanged various emails with party guests at the apartment. As far as I know, she approved or declined guests depending on the theme of the party. Even if the person had no desire to attend the party, she convinced them so that they make an appearance.That is… what you will be responsible of. If you take care of the task well, then it will be possible to host the party again.

 **Avelia:** Once again, that sounds like a lot of pressure. I’m told strangers tend to feel uncomfortable around me

 **Jaehee:** Why is that?

 **Mark:** Avelia tends to be a looming presence ;) Oh, but what are the benefits of hosting the party again? Why do we bother doing this thing…?

 **Jaehee** : There are a lot of benefits. First… I think it will be meaningful that Rika’s mission isn’t hindered and continues on. Especially, I presume that V, who has not really been involved with the organization after Rika’s death, will change. Currently, V is not really active in the organization.  He rarely logs into the chat room. So… everyone is probably hoping for V to come back. Except for Yoosung.

 **Avelia:** The leader is around the least? I guess no parties means he wouldn’t have to be, but still...

 **Mark:**  Why except for Yoosung…? Also… which one is yoosung again??

 **Avelia:** Are you serious? You were talking to him earlier!! I saw the chat you two had!

 **Mark:** I was suddenly introduced to around six people and it’s been less than 24 hours- I don’t have Shizuka’s photographic memory! Everyone’s names are mixing up! Was he the rich guy who took out a fire hydrant or the gamer?

 **Avelia:** The gamer. He plays Lolol :D I need to learn his username so I can friend him

 **Jaehee:** That is Yoosung. And the matter of him not being happy with V’s return… that is something you should hear from Yoosung or V.

 **Mark:** Sounds like drama. Which I slither away from as fast as i can unless it is the kind of drama you view from a stage~ Like Zen’s latest masterpiece~

 **Jaehee:** ***Gasping Jaehee emoji*** Wait, Mark… have you seen some of Zen’s acting?

 **Mark:** Seen? _Seen??_ Jaehee I’ve done more than seen.

 **Avelia:** Oh boy, here we go -_-

 **Mark:** I have spent the last few years collecting, obtaining, and gracing my fingertips with every photo, dvd and stage script of his in existence!! I even have the CD of his musical in our van!

 **Avelia:** Mark, I’m sure Jaehee doesn’t want to hear about this

 **Jaehee:** You’re a fan!!

 **Mark:** I’M HIS NUMBER ONE FAN!

 **Jaehee:** I strongly disagree for multiple reasons.

 **Mark** : What? Why?

***A photo of a loot stash appeared, each a memento of Zen’s multiple acting roles.***

**Mark:** 0.0

 **Jaehee:** I also have a photo from his very first performance of his career

 **Avelia:** Oh no

 **Mark:** you lie

 **Jaehee:** * **Sends a photo of herself, a single photo in hand, but the contents of it held away from the camera***

 **Mark:** Show me the photo

 **Jaehee:** It is the jewel of my collection and I will do no such thing

 **Mark:** I need to know the truth! I was there for his first performance but I am left tragically pictureless! I will accept no other greater fan than myself if I do not have proof!

 **Jaehee:** You were there for the actual performance?? ***shocked Jaehee face***

 **Mark:** It was a free admission performance near Avelia’s college. I was walking him to class and decided to give it a shot and I have never regretted it in my life!

 **Jaehee:** I am not sure if I can believe you experienced such a miracle. How could you have possibly gone to this once in a lifetime event and not gotten a picture?

 **Mark:**  T-T I tried! I had one of those really old flip phones and when I went to try to get the best possible picture I could on that low res thing Zen walked out and I… I!

 **Avelia:** Please. Stop.

 **Jahee: *Wide eyed Jaehee emoji*** What happened?!

 **Mark:** I was so startled by the pure beauty and grace with which he carried himself that I froze. The phone fell right out of my hand and broke, horribly. Irreparably. Like my heart.

 **Jaehee:** Mark….

 **Avelia:** Oh brother

 **Mark:** Truly the worst luck I have ever had in my life. His face was so young back then, his eyelashes so long and pure~

 **Jaehee:** Mark, I am about to send you a message via text. This text will hold precious, _precious,_ cargo.

 **Mark:** Jaehee… you can’t mean…

 **Jaehee:** You must agree never to share it with the world without the permission of Zen, but yes…

 **Avelia:** Am I the only one who is lost on what we are talking about…?

 **Mark:** You, dear Jaehee, are truly a pure and just soul. So pure, in fact, that I find myself willing to, dare I say it, share the title of number one fan with you.

 **Jaehee:** _I am honored_

 **Avelia:** I’m just gonna… go now. Okay? See you at dinner Mark. Glad to see you managed to make a friend

**Avelia has left the chatroom**

**Jaehee:** A friend? Yes, I would not be adverse to this, especially not with someone who seems to truly appreciate Zen’s talents and abilities. I, of course, still have some reservations about your appearance here but if everything should turn out well then I would happily consider you a… friend, Mark.

 **Mark:** If I had my own emojis like you guys, it would be sobbing with joy

 **Jaehee:** I would like to talk with you further, especially about Zen, but I must leave for a moment.

 **Mark:** I understand, you are a busy woman. Bye, ma’am.

 **Jaehee** : What?  ***Confused Jaehee emoji***  …Are you assuming that I’m much older than you?

 **Mark:** Oh! No, sorry. I just figured you were, you know, a lot more respectable and stuff than I am. You’re this hard working business woman, with clearly refined taste, and I’m, well… me. I didn’t mean it offensively. I meant it respectfully.

 **Jaehee** : Oh! I see, I will be off :)

**Jaehee has left the chatroom**

**Mark:** Bejeebus, those hearts are startling! I wonder if we should start keeping a jar around all the time or something.

 **Mark:** Ah! The bathroom door is opening! To the haven!

**Mark has left the chatroom**

 

* * *

 

**Location: Nicole's Garage**

* * *

 

Nicole cursed under her breath when she heard her phone ring. She was elbows deep in the undercarriage of Jumin’s limo, making sure none of the wiring or pipes got damaged in the crash.

She debated on ignoring the call but it might have been one of the others with news about the phone creepo.

“Hey Miri,” she called out. Her phone chirped back a happy reply from where it was resting next to her tool box. “Answer the phone.”

“Ack!” A high pitched cry made her jump, smacking her elbow painfully into the metal surrounding it. “She picked up right away! Um… Hello?”

Before Nicole could even open her mouth to greet whoever had just called her they steamrolled right on with their conversation.

“Oh! I’m Yoosung Kim! I’m the one who uses the username ‘Yoosung’ with a black star at the end. Do you remember me?” they sounded excited.

“Oh, yeah, of course,” Nicole said. You know, like a liar. Username? Yoosung sounded kind of familiar, was it a client? Someone from college? Maybe another rando who Mark somehow managed to piss off (seriously, for one of the most laid back people she had ever known that boy got into trouble way too often).

“You remembered!” the boy sounded ecstatic. “Yay!”

Nicole made the frog face of guilt.

“Uhm… so… i called because…” Yoosung started to mumble and Nicole strained to hear. “Everyone sort of suspected you in the beginning… and that kept bothering me… weren’t you offended.”

The workshop was going suspiciously quiet, letting her know that everyone could definitely hear the conversation. In fact, she could just barely make out a few pairs of wandering feet near her station. Lurking. Waiting.

Jeez, who was this guy?!

“Uh,” Nicole started, scrambling for a vague but believable answer. “I’d… be suspicious if I were them myself.”

There. Plenty vague and it made her seem like an understanding person while leaving the conversation open for him to chime in and clue her in to _who the hell he was._

“I was also shocked when you popped in the messenger without Seven’s authorization.”

Nicole squinted. Messenger… Seven… Oh! Oh! Was this an RFA member? There was someone that had a black star by their name and she was pretty sure it had started with a Y. Was this that blonde kid?

“But the moment you started to talk, I knew you’re not a bad person,” Yoosung continued right along, not even aware that she was barely paying attention. “Let’s just say my sixth sense took action! I could just feel that you’re not a bad person and would actually help us instead. Jumind will just say that it’s superstition, but I really felt that. You know… regardless of what everyone says, I trust you.”

Nicole wiped off her arms, ready to pull herself out so she could actually talk to the chatterbox, but he seemed perfectly fine holding the conversation up on his own.

“I think all your problems will be solved if we catch that hacker. Besides, Seven’s a genius, so he’ll catch that person quick.” Nicole opened her mouth, only to close it a second later as Yoosung kept talking. “So don’t worry, and I apologize if you were upset. Everyone’s just being careful. I’m sure no on has any bad intention.”

Clearly, she would not be getting a word in until he finished up. When she pulled out and looked up her dad was standing over her looking far too amused.

“Let’s just leave the hacker to Seven and just have fun from now on! What do you like to do? Do you like playing games? I know a super fun one! And I’m pretty good at it too. Let me know if you need a game partner. I can help you. I can be a spectacular knight in the game world, though that’s not easy in reality, haha. It’s kind of embarrassing but I’m one of the top dogs in the LOLOL world.”

The father daughter pair could only stare at the phone as the boy babbled on.

“Oh, it’s almost time for class. I have to get back in there. Sorry, but I gotta hang up. Let’s chat again. When it comes to games, I can do so well! So let me know if you need me. Talk to you later!!

Nicole could only gap as the phone call ended abruptly.

Papa Sterling started laughing. “Well, he was energetic!”

Nicole huffed. “Yeah, that sure was something.”

“Was that your boyfriend?!” One of the other mechanics called out from the side.

“Screw off Jenen, it’s none of your business!” Nicole shouted back, flipping the man off. She rolled her eyes when she turned back to her dad’s suspicious gaze. “No, he’s not my boyfriend. He’s just a kid working on the project I told you about earlier. You know, the one with Avelia and the gang?”

“Oh!” he perked up. “Well, I’m glad you’re making some new friends. Invite them over sometime yeah?”

“Sure Dad,” she nodded, making a note to never, ever bring anyone over to her chaotic maelstrom of a home. Thank god he knew nothing about computers, or else he might have asked about the hacker Yoosung had mentioned.

“Hey, did that kid say something about a hacker?” Jenen suddenly stuck his head back in.

“Jenen you little shit! Get back here you coward!”

Papa Sterling frowned, ignoring the imminent murder about to happen. “...What’s a hacker?” he mused, turning back to his own work.

“Sir! H-el-p.”

“Hmm, oh well,” he shrugged. If it was important Nicole would let him know. “Sweetheart, make sure you finish up your repairs before you leave!”

“Yes papa!”

Selective hearing was the best skill he had ever gained in his life. It let him tune out the cries for help from his nosy workers and focus on his own duties.

Ah, he loved his life.

 

**13:45 - Supporting Zen-  BE WHO YOU WANNA BE (created by Arinna)**

 

**Arinna has entered the chat room**

**Zen has entered the chatroom**

**Nicole has entered the chatroom**

**Nicole:** Sup Zen

 **Arinna:** Hi Zen!

 **Zen:** Oooh!? Only a day has passed and I’m already gaining such support from our new members??

 **Arinna:** Of course Zen! You are a valued member of this organization and I know we just met but I want to make sure you understand that you are important and a beautiful human being!

 **Zen:** Arinna… So cute and so sweet. ***Sends a winking Zen emoji*** Are you possibly a fan?

 **Arinna:** I’ve seen a few of yours works, but Mark is a much bigger fan than I am, honestly. He goes nuts over your work!

 **Zen:** I noticed that when I went over the previous chats. Jaehee and him really got into it…

 **Arinna:** Jaehee showed her cute side while talking about you :3

 **Nicole:** She seems so serious and all business, but I guess everyone has something they can fangirl over. I for one go nuts over cars~

 **Zen:** Cars? That doesn’t seem very… girly.

 **Nicole:** Remember me talking about your sexist remarks earlier? This is that thing.

 **Arinna:** Nicole, let's be understanding. Maybe he is just trying to distance himself from… the girly things. So it must surprise him that someone who identifies as a female might not like things that society deems as a male interest

 **Nicole:** You got a dictionary next to you or something?

 **Arinna:** No, just Shizuka

 **Nicole:** Same thing.

 **Zen:** Oh! Sorry! I didn’t mean it like that. Cars just don’t seem like a thing girls would be interested in. Everyone likes different things. I prefer motorcycles myself.

 **Arinna:** Nicole isn’t a very girly girl, which you’ll realize soon Zen :) She can curse like a sailor while taking apart an entire vehicle and putting it back together in no time flat!

 **Nicole:** Grease is in my blood by this point. Motorcycles aren’t bad, I’ve taken a few for a spin. I prefer a manual kind of car. Oh, if you are looking for girly girls Zen, the only ones like that in our group are Arinna and Avelia.

 **Arinna:** Oh don’t say that. You’ll hurt Avelia’s feelings

 **Zen:** Avelia seems like a cutie

 **Arinna:** Ave is the cutest~

 **Zen:** She even likes games like Yoosung, but unlike him, she actually goes outside and does things. I saw in the chat that she goes on runs every morning. I like that kind of healthy habit :)

 **Nicole:** Hah, typos. Anyway- That uh, Yoosung fella. He sure is _Energetic._ And Filterless.

 **Arinna:** Oh, were you talking to him earlier?

 **Nicole:** Yeah….. I think I got a sentence in during the entire chat? But hey, he seems nice :)

 **Zen:** That crazy kid, always blabbing his mouth.

 **Nicole:** It was kind of cute. Everyone in the garage was also listening, which I probably should have mentioned- but he didn’t exactly give me the chance XD

 **Arinna:** Well he’ll know the second he looks at this chat

 **Nicole:** Yeah. When he first called I- nah, never mind. The call went great with no problems. I’ll leave it at that

 **Arinna:** That feels like a lie, but okay :0 You almost done with work?

 **Nicole:** Yeah, just got a few more hours. Zen, your an actor huh? I heard Mark mention you before but I’m surprised to meet an actual celebrity.

 **Zen:** Well I’m not that famous yet. Still working on it. :)

 **Arinna:** Still, for you to have come as far as you have. Show business is so hard and a really competitive field!

 **Zen:** It is, but I’m not too worried. Worry only causes wrinkles, which my beautiful face cannot afford. It’s better to stay calm and ensure the long lasting beauty of your skin.

 **Arinna:** You seem to know a lot about skin care. :)

 **Zen:** I can give you tips if you want. I try to give them to Yoosung too, but he never listens to me.

 **Nicole:** Do these tips involve any of those weird facial masks, because if so, then no thanks. Those things freak me out

 **Zen:** Well, some of them. Maybe you just need to find the perfect facial mask for you? A lovely lady like yourself who has a naturally beautiful face should strive to keep it that way as you get older~

 **Nicole:** Or I can just accept that natural turn of time and embrace my wrinkles with grace

 **Arinna:** You just don’t like them because of that one time you thought Shizuka was an alien and you tried to punch her.

 **Nicole:** She was a tiny green creature! How was I supposed to know?!

 **Zen:** * **Shocked Zen emoji*** You tried to punch him? A lady shouldn’t go punching a man, he could hurt you!

 **Arinna:** But punching a Shizuka is so much worse than punching a man…

 **Nicole:** I’d rather punch a 7 foot russian fighter man than punch Shizuka but sadly, I still did it that day…

 **Zen:** Is Shizuka a very short man then…?

 **Arinna:**??

 **Nicole:** wait just a second.

 **Nicole:** Do you think Shizuka is a...

 **Nicole:** Dude.

 **Arinna:** um, Zen…

 **Nicole:** Arinna don’t! This could be a valuable learning experience for him.

 **Arinna:** You just want to mess with him Nicole!

 **Nicole:** Absolutely! >:)

 **Zen:** Did I miss something?

 **Arinna:** Well…

 **Nicole:** No, don’t say anything. Arinna, you should leave.

 **Arinna:** Is that a suggestion or a command?

 **Nicole:** A suggestive command *Eyebrow wiggle*

 **Zen:** * **Shocked emoji***

 **Arinna:** Nicole, ew… -_- Now I feel uncomfortable and I’m gonna leave. Bye Zen

 **Zen:** Oh… Bye?

**Arinna has left the chatroom**

**Nicole:** Making it awkward. The fastest way to clear a room :)

 **Zen:** Again, I am confused.

 **Nicole:** Yeah, I’m sure you’ll figure it out eventually, sweetheart. XD I’m gonna get going. Have a good afternoon and you stay you! Don’t let others tell you how to live your life! You keep trucking along you beautiful bastard!

 **Zen:** Okay…? Same to you!

**Nicole has left the chatroom**

**Zen has left the chatroom**

* * *

 

**Location: Unknown. (Except not really because it is right across the road from Rika's apartment)**

* * *

Saeran Choi was honestly a bit surprised at how well his plan had played out. He expected more of a fight with getting that group into the RFA, yet V has accepted them so quickly. Almost too quickly.

He was happy about this, but suspicious. At least they seemed to all agree and had joined the organization without problems.

They were fitting in perfectly. It was only a matter of time before he could bring them all to salvation with his savior!

Of course, he had originally only planned to begin with Arinna, but getting all her friends at once with her worked as well. He just needed to keep an eye on them and make sure things worked out. He knew it wouldn’t be long till the others would return to their own homes, separating them.

It would be harder to keep track of them, but easier to bring them in one by one when he continued to the next phase of the plan.

All he had to do was wait for V to decide a date for the party, then the true fun would begin.

He stood, hunched over with his hands stuffed into his pocket. Across the street from the apartment complex, he felt himself smiling with the enjoyment of this challenge. The RFA would be an excellent addition to Mint Eye.

He couldn’t wait to bring them to paradise.

**15:35 - Where is the JUSTICE?!**

**Avelia has entered the chatroom**

**Avelia:** Mark! Where is Piggles you fiend?!

**Shizuka has entered the chatroom**

**Shizuka:** You do realize that calling or texting him would get a faster response don’t you? And I do believe I told you where she is when you called a moment ago.

 **Avelia:** He’s not answering his phone T-T. And it can’t be true! Something fishy is going on here!

**Yoosung has entered the chatroom**

**Yoosung:** Hi Avelia! Hi Shizuka!

 **Yoosung:** ...Oh. Is something wrong with your piglet Avelia?

 **Shizuka:** No

 **Avelia:** Yes!I called Shizuka for Piggles afternoon check up and she told me that Piggles was taking a bath. With Mark!

**Zen has entered the chatroom**

**Zen:** Hello Yoosung, Shizuka! Hello lovely Avelia!

 **Shizuka:**??... Hi…. long haired, zen…?

 **Yoosung:** Hey Zen!

 **Avelia:** That is very kind of you to say Zen, but my rage can not be contained!

 **Zen:** lol, what?

 **Zen:** Oh! Right, you have a pet pig. So Mark is getting her all cleaned up? Isn’t that a good thing?

 **Avelia:** Mark and Piggles in the same room is rarely, if ever, a good thing!

 **Shizuka:** Now you are just disillusioning yourself Avelia. Mark and Piggles get along just fine the majority of the time.

 **Avelia:** He teases her all the time!

 **Shizuka:** And we tease you all the time. It is a sign of affection.I also seem to recall that when you first went on your run this morning Piggles chose Mark as her sleeping buddy until you returned.

 **Avelia:**...T-T That’s not fair, Mark is like a mini furnace.

 **Yoosung:** I’m confused. Mark doesn’t seem like a bad guy, he wouldn’t do anything to hurt Piggles, right?

 **Avelia:** I don’t want to believe he would, but Piggles hates baths! Shizuka told me she _willingly_ followed him. How can that be so?!

 **Zen:**...We are talking about a pig right? Are pigs naturally very smart animals to be able to make choices in different situations like that?

 **Avelia:** Of course!

 **Shizuka:** No, not typically. But Piggles has shown a surprising amount of intelligence since she was born. You would be better off trying to overestimate her understanding of a situation rather than underestimating it.

 **Yoosung:** O.O wow

 **Avelia:** So now do you understand why I am worried?

**Mark has entered the chatroom**

**Avelia:** MARK!

**Mark has left the chatroom**

**Zen: *Shocked emoji***

**Yoosung: *shocked emoji***

**Avelia:** Get back here you coward!

 **Shizuka:** One moment

**Shizuka has left the chatroom**

**Zen:**??Where is he going?

 **Avelia:** Mark is probably still in the bathroom

 **Zen:** No, I meant Shizuka

**Mark has entered the chatroom**

**Shizuka has entered the chatroom**

**Mark:** Avelia….

 **Mark:** How could you do this to me T-T

 **Mark:** We were just chilling out

 **Avelia:** LIES

 **Shizuka:** Actually…

**Shizuka: *Picture of a small piglet half in a fancy jet tub, wrapped in a warm towel and looking happily drowsy***

**Avelia:** Awww, she looks so happy!

 **Mark:** Wow. Nice tone change there you traitor.

 **Yoosung:** Oh wow! Is that Piggles? She’s adorable!

 **Zen:** I never thought I would say this about a pig but she is pretty cute. It must be because she is a lady! ***Smiley Zen emoji***

 **Shizuka:** -_-

**707 has entered the chatroom**

**707: *Shocked emoji***

**707:** I just saw something crazy on the security monitor. Shizuka, kicking down the door to the bathroom like a military fighter and, a few moments later, dragging Mark out in a headlock with a pig wrapped in a blanket curled on her shoulder. It was like out of a horror movie…. Oop! Gotta go! Work calls!

**707 has left the chatroom**

**Zen:** Why did you come in here just to tell us something like that? -_-

 **Yoosung:** Shizuka sure does sound a bit scary when you phrase things like that… 0.0

 **Zen:** I hope none of the ladies were home to see Mark being dragged out nude...

 **Shizuka:** -_- wow. For your information he was dressed when he left the bathroom

 **Avelia:** After that spa day I don’t think any of us would be surprised.

**Arinna has entered the chatroom**

**Arinna:** He’s so skinny, its worrying ;-;

 **Yoosung:** Are you all psychic?? How do you know we are talking about you??

 **Arinna:** Pfft, lol. Chance I guess :3 And Mark has a bubble butt of the gods

 **Mark:** Aw shucks

 **Zen: *Blushing emoji face*** I do not believe a lady should see such things! It’s too indecent!

 **Shizuka:** But I’m fine?

 **Zen:** Well, you are not a lady.

 **Arinna :** 0.0

 **Avelia:** 0.0

 **Mark:** 0.0

 **Yoosung:**?? Why are you three so surprised..?

 **Shizuka:**...Watch your self Hyun Ryu. I recommend you sleep with one eye open tonight.

**Shizuka has left the chatroom**

**Zen:** What?? Was that a threat?

 **Avelia:** More of a promise...

 **Arinna:** Oh honey, I’m so sorry. Stay safe okay?

 **Zen:** FROM WHAT??

 **Avelia:** Shizuka’s wrath knows no bounds…

 **Mark:** Yoosung, you’ve been pretty quite this whole time man.

 **Yoosung:** 0.0 I didn’t know what to say.

 **Mark:** Yeah, I can get that. Hey Avelia, did Nicole already tell you about the Spinach?

 **Avelia:** Yup! No worries there ;D

 **Zen:** Are we just going to ignore that now?! ***shocked emoji***

 **Yoosung:** Um, I’m just going to go play LOLOL now. Avelia, want to play with me?

 **Avelia** : Sure! I’ve got some time before my next class. Text me your username and we can team up!

 **Yoosung:** Awesome! See you in a bit!

**Yoosung has left the chatroom**

**Zen:** I’m surprised you are even into that game Avelia. I hope you aren’t as obsessed over it as Yoosung is

 **Avelia:** Oh? It’s a good game! Why are you surprised?

 **Mark:** yeah man, I can’t play as much but it’s fun as heck

 **Zen:** It’s just so violent, not girly at all. You probably have a cute character though, huh? * **Winking Zen emoji***

 **Avelia:** …

 **Avelia:** I don’t think I like what you’re insinuating there

 **Arinna:** It is cute though! Avelia has this giant war pig to ride into battle!

 **Zen:** Not something cute like a horse? Do they have unicorns in that game? I haven’t played it much so I have no idea…

 **Arinna:** Maybe we should talk about something else! Something not Avelia related!

 **Mark:** They have unicorns. That’s the one I have. You know how many people you can shishkebab with that thing? It’s pure carnage.

 **Avelia:** I like my war pig. It’s name is Piggley

 **Zen:** Ah, so it’s named after your pet pig. I still think a delicate, cute animal would suit a lovely princess like you ***Winky emoji***

 **Arinna:** …. And he went and said it...

 **Avelia:** Zen… perhaps you should keep _both_ eyes open

**Avelia has left the chatroom**

**Zen:** Why did she also leave?? Did I say something wrong? ***Crying Zen emoji***

 **Mark:** ….She….

 **Arinna:**...I have to go… Zen… Zen I would really sleep with the doors locked, phone in hand ready to dial 911 tonight.

 **Zen:** What?? WHY?

 **Mark:** HAHAHAHAHA! This is AWESOME! Arinna! Emergency meeting! To the Van!

 **Arinna:** ‘^.^ Bye Zen

**Mark has left the chatroom**

**Arinna has left the chatroom**

**Zen:** What did I say?!

* * *

**Location:** **Rika's apartment; Guest bed room**

* * *

 

 Arinna had wrapped herself in a warm robe, borrowing it from the many assortments that Rika had left in her closet. She had juggled with the idea of using a dead woman’s belongings, but it also meant they would just sit there forever, collecting dust. Eventually Shizuka snapped at her to just go for it, so here she was, dressed in the softest robe she had ever felt and laying over the silky sheets of the bed in the spare room.

At least she assumed this was the spare room. It was hard to tell, but there were at least two bedrooms in this apartment. And more things seemed to be in the other one so Arinna didn’t feel so bad using this bed opposed to the one she assumed to be Rika’s.

Rolling over in the mattress, something she hadn’t done for years since living in her van on the futon, she smiles. Diving under the covers to pop her head out towards the bottom of the bed, she giggled.

She would call Mark in her to help her build some elaborate pillow fort, but he was currently enjoying his bath time. She probably wouldn’t see him again till he was as wrinkled as a prune. The prune prince she would call him.

Having fun worming her way through the covers her journey was paused when her phone rang. Almost thinking it as some sort of alarm at first she leaped up. Gripping her phone tight she relaxed once she realized it was a call. Clicking the button she brought it to her ear.

“Um… Hello?” she asked tentatively.

“Hey, where are you?” a male voice followed, sounding casual.

Arinna pursed her lips. Peeking out from the blankets, laying on her stomach with her legs kicking idly behind her she says, “Uhm… well, I’m relaxing in the apartment. A apartment. Not really mine, but someone else’s.”

“What are you talking about?” the voice asked, confused, “What apartme-” They cut off abruptly with a gasp, “Wait! Oh! I’m sorry! I called the wrong person! What am I saying to our latest newcomer! Seven gave me your number earlier Arinna so with your name it’s at the top of my contacts now!”

Arinna slowly smiled, tilting her head. “Is this… Zen?” she giggled.

There was a small intake of air, then a soft, “You got it spot on, Arinna. I said your name correct I hope? Like a football arena?”

“Yuppers!” She rolled onto her back. “My parents- I think they met at an arena or something? I never really knew the story behind my name.”

“Well I think it is a very cute name.” Zen says sweetly.

“Awe, thanks. Zen is a lovely name too. I think I heard Mark say it wasn’t your real one?”

“Yeah, it’s not. More of my stage name.”

Arinna wasn’t sure what it was, but she felt rather comfortable talking to Zen. It didn’t feel awkward or forced, which she usually felt when talking to someone she hardly knows.

“I like it.”

“Thank you.” he says. “Well, since I have you on the phone, do you have any questions about the RFA? We are still working out all your roles, so for now it’s best if you just learn about us and we learn about you.”

“Okay~” she drawled out. “Then, what kind of person is Yoosung? He seems sweet.”

Zen hums in thought, “He’s the youngest of all of us. Still in college and completely obsessed with this game called LOLOL. But yeah, he is sweet. We hang out a lot, though we tend to live very different lives- especially in our hobbies and what we eat.”

“What kind of person is Seven?”

“I think _Alien_ is the best way to describe him. He’s always hyper, but good at what he does. I don’t know the exact details of his work, but it’s something to do with hacking. I don’t know anything about computers.”

Arinna chuckled, “Same! Though- I’m not too bad with math. It’s probably the only kind of thing I’m good at besides growing flowers.”

“Math is a skill I can’t say I share.” he said with a laugh.

“Then what about Jaehee?”

“Jaehee…. Jaehee’s very hard working. She even managed to deal with those strange cat project’s Jumin comes up with. Seriously, she the definition of patience.”

“Cat projects? Is that the kind of person Jumin is?”

“Ugh- him? Yeah basically. He’s the CEO-in-line for this huge company. But he’s a jerk, so don’t get close to him. Ever! Just ignore him!” She could hear the distaste for Jumin in Zen’s tone.

“Oh, he can’t be that bad. Being rich or something doesn’t make you a bad person.” Arinna says, twirling her hair between her fingers.

“It’s how he flaunts his money that makes him a jerk.” Zen corrects himself.

Arinna hums in thought. “Okay, then what kind of person do you think you are Zen?

He clears his throat happily, “I’m a perfect man- Seriously, there is no other way to describe me. I’m handsome… I can act, I can sing, I can dance. I’m basically perfect. I’m like a bard who’s always ready to serenade for a lady. Well-” his confidence falters. “I’m perfect except for the fact that it’s been years since I’ve dated. So I’m super lonely romantically speaking.”

Arinna nodded. Gee Golly, Zen was just so amazing. Being able to just strive forward in life with such confidence in themself, especially going through the change he has. Coming to terms with his identity as a man in this society and making his mark on the future as an actor! So amazing! And yet he still has periods and deals with the pain!! Arinna hadn’t been a big fan of Zen before, but now she was~!

“Well you have my full support in everything you do.” she says honestly.

“Oh.” he sounded surprised, “That means a lot to me, Arinna. Thank you!”

She smiles, “So, is there anything you want to ask me then?”

“The same questions I guess. Let’s start with… Mark. What kind of person is he?”

“My best friend,” she says softly. “He’s a hard worker, though many judge his appearance over his actual abilities. But he’s kind, and funny. He knows me better than anyone and is always so free-spirited.”

“You two sound like you are close.”

“Well we’ve lived together for a long time. He’s basically my brother.”

“It’s nice you have someone so close to you. You seem that way with all your friends. What is Nicole like?”

“She is kind of hot tempered but randomly super patient? It’s hard to describe her with just a few words.” Arinna admits with a chuckle. “She is loyal to everyone close to her and works hard for her dream.”

“She sounds like a great person.” Zen compliments.

“Nicole is practically family to me too. All my friends are.”

“Even Shizuka?”

“Even Shizuka.” Arinna hugged a pillow to her chest as she talked.

“But- Shizuka sounds kind of.. Cold?”

“I suppose so, sometimes. More of just very mature and serious. Shizuka loves a good joke though! Whenever something goes wrong you can always leave it to our dear private detective to solve the day!”

“A private detective. It sounds so fancy. I once had a role kind of like that.” Zen says. “What about Avelia?”

“Avelia is a sweetheart. Strong but the kindest person I know. A big sense of justice too- and a health routine that sounds like it would kill me within the first hour.”

“Oh she likes to work out?”

Perhaps if Arinna had been paying attention more she would have caught the incorrect word choice of Avelia’s gender, but she hadn’t, and just laughed. “Like crazy!”

Zen’s voice seemed to turn to velvet. “And what about you Arinna? What kind of person are you?”

Arinna made a disgruntled sound, “Um? Okay? I guess?” she snorts at the end, “I dunno~ I’m kind of dumb honestly. There are a lot of things I don’t know and I wasn’t very good in school. Never went to college either.”

“Oh, well- that doesn’t mean you are dumb.”

“I think many people would disagree, myself included. But hey, thanks for saying that anyway.” Arinna smiles tossing herself into the pillows gathering in the corner. “At least I’m lucky enough to have good friends! And now I’m part of a cool charity group- so I think I’m doing pretty okay.”

She hears a small exhale, like a chuckle “A charming personality is what you have too. Well, thanks for talking to me. Even though this is really the first time I’ve heard your voice, I feel comfortable talking to you, Arinna. Let’s do this again another time, okay? I’ll talk to you later.”

“Bye-bye, Zen!” with that Arinna hung up and closed her eyes. “Oh sweet pillow dreams, take my to a sweet slumber~”

“IS THAT A BED?” Mark’s voice suddenly called out from the hall. Arinna froze, sending him a warning glare. Mark, the little prune prince, was already bursting into a sprint towards her.

“Don’t you dare!” she shrieked.

“I’m coming in for a landing!” like a shriveled, repulsive swan, he dived forward. A moment later the air was knocked out of Arinna’s stomach with the sound similar to what a chew toy would make.

“You’re so gross….YOU’RE SO GROSS.” she wailed.

“Accept the withered skin that is now my body.” Mark commands, his wrinkly fingers reaching up to grab her face. “This is who I am now. Join me.”

“I will not conform!” she smacked them away. Her fingers had just begun to return to their normal state. Calling out like banshees they began their battle. Pillows were thrown right and left, the well-made bed destroyed in a matter of seconds as the blanket was thrown to the floor.

As they fought the door slowly opened wider, footsteps entering the room, unheard by the yelling Arinna and Mark.

They sensed ill intent. Turning slowly they saw Shizuka standing tall with two large suffocating pillows in her hands. Death in her eyes.

“You two seem to be having fun.” she says sweetly.

“Mark.” Arinna says, her voice cracking. “In your _arrogance,_ you have doomed us all.”

“We can take her.” Mark insists.

“It’s over Mark.” Arinna disagrees. “She has the high ground.”

Mark turned his gaze upward, the sun hitting his face from the window. “Arinna.” he said calmly. “Go.”

“Mark.” she gasped. “I can’t…!” the back of her hand smacked against her forehead.

“You must,” he implored.

“No really, I can’t-”

“You must!” he insists a second time

“No, like, seriously. I can’t. You’re sitting on my leg.”

“Oh, sorry… ” He adjusts his weight, scooting back to free her. His voice went deep again. “Now go!”

Arinna didn’t hesitate to roll off the bed. Shizuka stood idly to the side to let her pass. Mark’s jaw dropped in shock. “You are seriously just leaving me here??”

She quickly jabbed an accusing finger at him. “You just told me to ya scrub!”

“I thought you would have the decency to decline! You are abandoning your own brother!” he yelled back.

“Then why offer it??”

“I thought you would offer yourself instead and then I could go!” he lifts a pillow as a feeble defense from the beast stalking towards him. Shizuka let them carry out the conversation with a sick smile, knowing either way, even as one escaped, she would be getting them both with time.

“So you were just trying to set me up for your own escape?” Arinna demands. “That bath has changed you, Mark. You aren’t the man I once thought you were.” she turned, sniffling.

His voice was solemn. Sad. “It looks like we’ve both changed. And not for the better.” A saddened rendition of the song “For Good” from the Wicked musical chorused in the background.

Shizuka closed her eyes, willing patiences as the two serenaded each other. She recounted the facts of her last case, knowing Arinna must have foolishly returned to the bed, taking Mark’s hand in her own.

The dear piglet, Piggles, toddled her way inside for a moment. With a sniff of her snout she took a look at the singing dullards, then to Shizuka, who pillow’s shifted from side to side with promised death.

It was her natural instinct of self preservation that convinced her to turn her curly tail and book it out of there.

“Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better??” they sniffled, emotional. “I do believe I have been changed for the better. And… Because I knew you~ I have been changed for good.”

The two seemed to solve their differences through their song, and could find peace even as a soft pillow curled towards them with the force of a hammer.

Arinna cried out in a feeble attempt, “Wait we weren’t finished-!” she never got a chance to complete her sentence before an explosion of the pillow against her face sent her falling backwards.

In the carnage of pillow cases and feathers the two laid, lifeless.

Never heard of again.

Until the next chat where this instance was never even mentioned.

 

**15:00 Princess Avelia**

  **Mark has entered the chatroom**

 **Mark:** ;) Avelia, Avelia, wherefore art thou my dear _Princess~?_ Shall I comb your luscious hair for you? Guide you down a staircase in your glass slippers. I’m sure we could find you a pair despite your behemoth feet.

**Avelia has entered the chatroom**

**Avelia:** Go fall in a pit and never come out mark!

 **Avelia:** Take your dumb unicorn and fly into space!!

 **Avelia** : You warthog faced buffoon!

 **Avelia** : You pompous, stuck-up, snot-nosed, giant, twerp, scumbag

 **Avelia:**  You half-witted, scruffy-looking Nerf herder. Clinking, clanking, clattering collection of caliginous junk! You dirt-eating piece of slime! You scum-sucking pig! You son of a three-eyed traffic cone!

 **Avelia:** You are the equivalent to a Burittobomination.

 **Avelia:** You are the plain yogurt of people!

 **Mark:** Dear Princess? What is wrong? Why do you insulting me in such a cruel way~? Lololololol

 **Avelia:** I’m not insulting you! I’m describing you!

 **Avelia** : When I see you next time, I will be smiling, but I will wish you harm with my eyes.

 **Avelia:** You are the kind of guy that thinks Cheerios are doughnut seeds.

 **Avelia:** You are the most Blah human being. You are room temperature Coca cola. YOU ARE A HUMAN RICE CAKE!

 **Mark:** I like Rice cakes :)

 **Avelia:** I know!

 **Avelia:** Jeez….

 **Mark;** You done?

 **Avelia:**...Yes

 **Mark:** Cool :) You got real creative with that Burrito thing

 **Avelia:** I was thinking of that time we went to taco bell and you got that burrito with nothing but sour cream inside

 **Mark:** Ughhhh, BURRITOBOMINATION

 **Avelia:** Haha~ Alright, I’ll get going. See ya buddy!

 **Mark:** Bye! I’m gonna go mock Shizuka now~ Our _Lovely Prince_

 **Avelia:** You will die. Shizuka will murder you

 **Mark:** Shizuka can try ,.kj93uapoe230=_(*)$(

 **Avelia:** Mark…?

**Mark has left the chatroom**

**Shizuka has entered the chatroom**

**Shizuka:** Mark is currently unable to respond right now

 **Avelia:** What did you do to him ..?!

 **Shizuka:** Have a good day Avelia

**Shizuka has left the chatroom**

**Avelia:** … The human rice cake… has met his end…??

**Avelia has left the chatroom**

 

* * *

**Location: Rika's apartment. A place Shizuka does not like yet refuses to leave.**

* * *

 

Shizuka tapped away at her laptop, nearly done with her report on her latest case. Once she was done she would finally be able to devote herself fully to making sure the hacker on the phone was not a threat to her friends.

Ugh. Her head was beginning to ache, a clear sign that she had been on her computer for far too long. The bath from earlier had been a wonderful break but a familiar strain was starting to crawl its way back across her shoulders.

Her phone trilled next to her, resting on the armrest of the chair she was curled into. Not even bothering to check the number she lifted it up and hit answer.

“Shizuka Kudo,” she answered calmly.

The person on the other end made a rolling sound like the phone was still ringing. Shizuka frowned, confused.

“Uhm, uh… Your bank account has been used used for a fun prank,” a familiar voice informed her cheerfully.

Shizuka sent a blank look towards the cameras. With a roll of her eyes, she tucked the phone between her cheek and shoulder, freeing up her hands so she could keep typing.

“Uh… Were you aware of this?” Luciel continued, clearly determined to go through with his odd prank call even though he had already been found out. “I must first verify your cell phone number for identification purpose, so please calmly follow the instructions.”

“Oh no,” Shizuka said as blandly as stale bread. “Whatever shall I do.”

“My gullible… I mean my good customer, please calm down,” he laughed. Shizuka huffed. “Now, take a deep breath. Breath in-!”

He paused for a long moment. It took her a second to realize he was waiting for her to breath in.

She was surrounded by children wasn’t she?

Humoring him she took a deep breath in- “Breath out!” - and breathed out a hefty sigh.

“You must keep it together at a time like this,” he advised sagely. “Now, if you’ve taken a deep breath, please go ahead and say, “Honey, I love you-!’ You know, like how the teddy bears say it.”

Shizuka rolled her head back to stare at the ceiling beseechingly. Before she could tell him the exact opposite of what he had just asked for she heard Arinna and Mark walk back in. A smirk crawled onto her face.

“Honey, I love you~,” she made sure her voice was high pitched and sugary sweet. Then, once the hallway leading to the door had gone deathly silent she muted her phone and tucked it under her legs acting for all the world like she had simply been working the whole time.

Arinna and Mark stormed in, looking around wildly.

“S-Shizuka,” Arinna stuttered, “did you just say something in here?”

“Hmm?” she glanced up. “No, why?”

“N-No reason!” Mark gulped. Together the two moved slowly from the room. They stood back-to-back, carefully looking around for whatever had made the sound of their nightmares.

Once they had moved on to check the bathroom and bedroom she picked the phone back up.

Luciel was still laughing.

“Hahahaha, good job! Boy… you’re so cute.”

Shizuka blinked, taken aback.

“Now I will verify you phone number. Please tell me you number one by one.”

“Shouldn’t you already know-?”

“Stop!” Luciel shouted, interrupting her. “You were about to tell your number weren’t you? You can’t do that! There are billions of scams like this going on right now!”

Shizuka huffed out a small amused laugh. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“From now on, just hang up if you receive a call like this - period. And if you’re unsure whether it’s a scam just call me okay? I’ll check for you even if I’m busy.”

She fought down the miniscule smile trying to form. “I don’t think that will be necessary but I appreciate the thought Luciel.”

There was a self-satisfied chuckle on the other end of the line. “But… with Rika’s apartment you all are so gullible! You shouldn’t fall for stupid things like this!”

She could feel her eyebrow raise. “Was this your way of scolding us for following the hacker’s directions?”

“I just called to check whether this is the right number, and you should be glad I was the one who called you. If this were a real, a scary hacker could have taken all your money.”

Well, that answered that.

“The moment you receive the call, you lose your money. Okay?”

His tone was serious this time.

Shizuka sighed softly. “I appreciate the concern Luciel but it is misplaced. We will be fine. Ah.” she suddenly looked up. “Beep, beep. We have detected criminal activity on _your_ account…” she copied his earlier tone.

“What?!” Luciel’s voice shrieked on the other end. “You managed to get into a hacker’s account? That’s bold!”

She snickered.

“BUT!!! I don’t really have a bank account. My boss told me cash is the best way to make money.”

“I can see the value in that,” she agreed. “But a bank account, so long as it is sufficiently protected, also has its benefits.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he mirrored her earlier statement. “Anyways, now that I checked up on you I’ll let the other members know how you’re doing! Now if you get a call from this app you’ll see their faces from their profiles. Try talking to them often from now on.”

Shizuka nodded, snuggling back into her blanket and letting her laptop rest untouched for a moment. “I will make sure to do so. I saw the profiles earlier, are we supposed to make one as well?”

“You can if you want,” the grin was clear in his voice. “I just finished setting that up for you all so it should be good to go! Oh yeah!”

How could he have so much energy?

“Ah, I have to go. Please take good care of the RFA okay? I’m looking forward to it!”

Shizuka yawned. “We will do our best. Make sure to drink some water Luciel.”

“Ack. Caught. Gotta go! Bye- bye~!”

He certainly was quick to run away. Rolling her shoulders back Shizuka was happy to note that a good amount of the tension that had been there before was now gone. She could still hear Mark and Arinna searching frantically through the apartment. She almost felt bad for using their childhood fear of those little bears against them.

Almost.

# 16:28: All women are Queens

**Mark has entered the chatroom**

**Nicole has entered the chatroom**

  **Mark:** Ah, good day Nicole. How has this delightful evening been treating you?

 **Nicole:** Sir Mark, what a pleasure. It has been quite eventful, and yourself?

 **Mark:** Oh it’s been wonderful darling~. Simply wonderful.

**Jumin has entered the chatroom**

**Jumin:** Good evening.

 **Jumin:** Nicole, I logged in once I saw you were here. How are the repairs coming along?

 **Nicole:** Good evening Jumin, the repairs are almost complete at your behest. I do so ever hope that they will meet your expectations.

 **Jumin:** Your father’s company seems very reputable from the research I have done and you yourself have high recommendations. I am sure it will turn out well.

 **Mark:** Salutations Jumin, how fare thee this evening?

 **Jumin:** Hello Mark, it is going well. Thank you for asking.

**Yoosung has entered the chatroom**

**Yoosung:** Hi everyone! ***smiley emoji***

 **Yoosung:**...Um? Mark, Nicole, why are the two of you speaking so weirdly?

 **Jumin:**??

 **Jimin:** Are they speaking oddly? I had not noticed.

 **Yoosung:** How could you not notice?

**Zen has entered the chatroom**

**Zen:** Mark! You never answered my question before! What did I do wrong?!

 **Mark:** It is becoming uncomfortably common for those entering these bountiful chatrooms to begin their conversations by focusing words of aggression towards me.

 **Nicole:** Take it as the hint it is, love. Perhaps it is time to make a change.

 **Mark:** *the gasp of an affronted noble woman*

 **Zen:** ***deadpan emoji***...What are you two doing?

 **Yoosung:** Yeah! Why are you guys talking like that? Is it a game?

 **Jumin:** I fail to see what the problem is.

 **Zen:** Of course you wouldn’t Mr-CEO-in-line. I bet the people you’re around everyday actually talk like that.

 **Jumin:** You are not wrong, asides from this chat room the people I usually interact with do hold themselves to a higher standard of civility.

**Zen: *shocked emoji***

**Nicole:** Ohhh, sick burn Jumin.

 **Nicole:** Ah, I mean, uh, crap. Mark help me out here.

 **Mark:** sicketh burneth

 **Nicole:** …

 **Nicole:** I’ll taketh it.

 **Jumin: *smiley emoji*** Thank you both

 **Zen:**  You mean you actually understood whatever just happened?!

**Avelia has entered the chatroom**

**Avelia:** Hi Jumin! Hi Yoosung!

 **Yoosung:** Hi Avelia! How as the rest of your classes?

 **Jumin:** Good evening Avelia.

 **Avelia:** They were great, thanks for asking :)

 **Zen:** Hello lovely Avelia.

 **Avelia:** …. Zen.

 **Nicole:** The Queen!

 **Mark:** The Queen is here! Bow before her royal presences!

 **Avelia:** -_-

 **Nicole:** M’lady, what brings the honor of your company to this humble chatroom today?

 **Avelia:** You know, I saw the title of this chatroom and I thought to myself ‘stay away from that Avelia, Mark and Nicole clearly had a hand in this’ but then I saw Yoosung and I wanted to ask him what time he was planning on raiding tonight.

 **Yoosung:** Oh sweet! Just let me know when you get home and we can start as soon as you want!

 **Avelia:** Thank you Yoosung, I appreciate it. Now that my question has been answered I think I should go.

 **Mark:** No! Your Grace! Please, do not take your royal presence from us so soon! There is so much to speak of, so much to do! So many pranks to pull!

 **Zen:** Pranks? What exactly are you two planning?

 **Jumin:** This sounds entertaining, Avelia perhaps you should stay.

 **Avelia:** -_- no thanks. I won’t ruin the children’s fun for now, but I refuse to participate!

 **Nicole:** It could be fun though~

 **Avelia:** :[ ack, don’t use that line on me! It won’t work this time!

**Avelia has left the chatroom**

**Nicole:** Darn, so close

 **Mark:** Don’t worry, ‘she’ was close to cracking. ‘She'll’ join our side soon enough.

 **Nicole:** Sweet. How’s it going with the Shizuka side?

 **Mark:** ‘He’ said ‘he’ doesn’t care so long as we don’t cross any boundary lines. Oh, and ‘he’ said ‘he’ won’t play along but ‘he’ won’t disagree unless someone asks directly.

 **Nicole:** Ah yes. Shizuka, the manliest man I have ever known. I expected no less from such a man.

 **Yoosung:** ...Okay? I think you two are being really weird.

 **Zen:** I agree! What on earth are you two going on about! And why is Avelia so mad at me!

 **Jumin:** Shizuka is also mad at you from what it looks like.

**Zen: *angry emoji***

**Nicole:** True fact. Good intuition Jumin.

 **Jumin: *Smiley emoji*** Thank you, but it was simply reading the last chat that gave me that information.

 **Nicole:** Mark, you get any hearts? A purple one almost stabbed me in the eye just now.

 **Mark:** I’ve gotten a handful today, mostly yellow, a few red ones, and a green one, but none from this chat so far.

 **Zen: *Sighing emoji*** Alright, clearly you are not planning on answering my questions. And now you are just changing the conversation to something weird again!

 **Yoosung:** Hearts??

 **Jumin:** Is your eye alright Nicole?

 **Nicole:** That’s sweet of you to ask Jumin. Yeah, it’s alllaksdjf - Sorry. Secondary purple heart attack. Yeah, I’m fine.

**Yoosung: *confused emoji***

**Yoosung:** Oh! Avelia just texted me that he got back! I’ll see you guys later!

**Yoosung has logged out**

**Mark:** Sweet. If Avelia is at his place then I’ll head over there too.

 **Zen:** Why? Won’t he just be playing games with Yoosung?

 **Mark:** Yeah but his mom always makes him these bomb biscuits whenever he comes home from class so I’ll try to snag a few. I can help her around the farm while he relaxes too so it’ll all be good.

 **Jumin:** That is kind of you Mark.

 **Zen:** For once I agree with you Mr. CEO.

 **Nicole:** Only you can make mooching food seem like a charitable act Mark. Make sure to grab me some tomatoes while you’re there!

 **Mark:** Dang, you guys are nice. Thanks!

 **Mark:** Will do Nicole. See you all later!

**Mark has left the chatroom**

**Jumin:** I should also be going.

 **Zen:** Me too, our water break is almost done.

 **Nicole:** Sounds like we’re all off then. This was fun :D

 **Jumin: *smiley emoji*** I agree. Have a good night Nicole, I will see you tomorrow about the limo.

 **Zen: *deadpan emoji*** limo he says. Whatever. Goodbye Nicole!

 **Nicole:** later

**Nicole has left the chatroom**

**Jumin has left the chatroom**

**Zen has left the chatroom**

* * *

 

**Location: Rika's Apartment. AGAIN. BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY REAL PLACE YOU CAN GO FOR 90% OF THE TIME**

* * *

 

Mark pulled open the oven, peering in at the pans being heated inside. With a small, self-satisfied smile he snagged a pair of oven mitts.

“Dinner’s ready!” he called, setting the hot containers next to the other two he had finished an hour ago. With careful, practiced hands he balanced the four different rectangular pans on each other and moved towards the main room.

Shizuka had already set out the plates, Arinna helping with the silverware. He could hear running water from the bathroom so Avelia must have been washing his hands.

“Behold!” Mark grinned, thanking Nicole when she moved to help him set things down. He made sure she grabbed the two cooled pans. “Dinner is served!”

“Ohhhh~” Arinna drooled a bit.

Shizuka closed her eyes, face relaxing as the delicious scent made her stomach growl.

Mark and Nicole set the food in the middle of the small table they were using, forcing most of the silverware to bunch up. It was fine though, at least they had a table big enough to barely fit them all. They could always spread out after loading up their plates too.

“Wow, this looks amazing!” Avelia cheered, appearing around the corner.

Arinna pouted up at him. “...You get to make your plate last Avelia.”

Avelia faked a hurt expression. “Arinna, I wouldn’t take _everything.”_

“You lie!”

Mark laughed. “Chill guys, I remember last time. There’s enough for everyone to have four with a few left over.”

Avelia and Arinna cheered.

Nicole reached out to start picking her own, causing the two yelling to scramble for their own.

“You always make the best Cannelloni Mark,” Nicole said with anticipation. “My ma still wants to know your recipe.”

Mark shrugged mysteriously. “I’ll tell her as soon as she figures out why you randomly start talking like a southern person.”

“Damn,” Nicole grumbled.

Once everyone had their plates piled with pasta goodness the scooted back from the table a bit. Mark cleared off the three empty pans to make more room.

“Oh,” Shizuka suddenly spoke up, swallowing her mouthful of food before she spoke. “I forgot to inform all of you that Luciel said we can all make our own profiles on the chat application.”

Arinna tilted her head. “Profiles?”

Shizuka leaned away from her in disgust when some of her food came flying out of her mouth.

“Nice!” Nicole pumped her fist in the air, also not caring about speaking with her mouth full.

Shizuka sighed, shaking her head.

Nicole pulled out her phone, flicking the app open. Clicking the gear shaped button on the top corner she leaned over to show Arinna what to do.

“See right here? You can pick a picture and add a tagline or something to it.”

“Ohhhh, like the others have, right?” Arinna pointed towards the pictures of the RFA members lining the top of the main screen.

Nicole nodded. “Yeah, just like that. Here, look while I make mine. I’ll pick, uh, the picture I took with Jumin. See how it shrinks it to make it fit? Then you tap here to write something short about either the picture or just something about your day. Could even be something silly.”

The red headed engineer wrote out “Made a new friend today” and saved her new profile status.

“Okay, it’s saved. Now if you look back at the main screen you should see my profile and- AGH!”

They all jumped when an almost absurdly large purple heart shot from Nicole’s phone and beamed her in the chin. The dark skinned girl fell backwards with a cry.

There was a long, stilted moment of silence.

“Alright,” Nicole growled lowly, dragging herself up with a dark, vengeful look. “That is ENOUGH with the damned hearts! What the hell even are they?!”

The others looked to each other, equally confused.

“Actually,” Shizuka set her plate down, calling all attention to herself. “I have a theory about that.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Arinna breathed out a sigh of relief. Shizuka’s theories were almost always correct.

“Going over the conversations we have all had today on the new messenger app I have begun to notice a trend.” Shizuka stretched behind her towards the couch, snagging the closest strap of her backpack. Digging through it she pulled out a small jar with multi-colored hearts lining the bottom.

She set it in the middle of the table and the others leaned forwards to see better. Nicole glared at the heart in her hands and popped the top off the jar, tossing the newest heart in. The others shared a look before digging through their pockets. A few handfuls of hearts were added to the jar, filling it a fourth of the way full.

“Every time one of these hearts has appeared,” Shizuka began her explanation, “We were talking directly to the RFA members.”

Mark frowned. “I guess that’s true. But then why don’t we have even more than this? We’ve talked to them a lot.”

“I believe it is what we say that is the cause,” the small woman pulled out her phone to prepare an experiment. “I believe the hearts may be color coordinated towards specific members. Everytime one of us has said something that is particularly pleasing to one of the RFA members we receive the corresponding heart.”

“So this shit is happening because we’re nice?” Nicole raised an eyebrow.

“I suppose that is accurate. Here, get out your phones all of you.”

The group all opened their messenger apps. There was a new chat room with Shizuka’s username being the only one logged in so far.

**18:42 - COMPLIMENTS**

“Is that-?” Avelia squinted at the image she had picked for her profile. “Is that your brother on his graduation day?”

Shizuka nodded. “It is the anniversary today, and I was feeling nostalgic.”

“Look, look!” Arinna pointed to her screen. “707 logged in!”

Shizuka put on her work face. “Observe,” she told them.

  **707 Has entered the chatroom**

 **707:** Hey Shizuka! It’s dinner time right? That stuff you guys are eating looks way too good to be real. ***heart eye emoji***

 **Shizuka:** It is very delicious. I only wish you were here to join us for dinner. After everything you have done to make us feel welcome it would only be right to at least offer you a real meal.

 

They all watched, mouths agape, as a bright red heart leapt from the screen at Shizuka. She ducked, barely avoiding a hit to the nose, only for the heart to whip back towards her like a boomerang and smack into the back of her head instead.

“Whoa!” Mark breathed. Logging into the chatroom as well he tried it out himself.

 

**Mark has entered the chatroom**

**Mark:** Hey! It’s 707! My favorite hacker!

 

Mark laughed like a little kid at the small heart that greeted him.

“Oh, me, me!” Arinna giggled.

  


**Arinna has entered the chatroom**

**Arinna:** 707 you’re here! Yay! You make me laugh every time I get to talk to you!

 

A heart flew out in response. Arinna grabbed it and hugged it with a grin.

“Huh,” Avelia tilted his head.

 

**Avelia has entered the chatroom**

**Avelia:** 707! Your messenger is so cool! You must have worked really hard on it, you’re so smart!

 

“WHOA!” Avelia ducked, the heart shooting out so fast that it seemed to cut a strand of hair off his head

“Final call…” Nicole says.

**Nicole has entered the chatroom**

**Nicole:** Hey, seven! I’ve used a few chat apps before but yours by far is the best I’ve ever seen. You put so much work into it! Well done!

 **707:** * **Blushy Emoji with hearts in his eyes*** Wha- What is this sudden attack of affection??

 

A tad more prepared Nicole caught the heart when it came out, flipping it like a coin between her fingers. “This is so bizarre.” she chuckled

“Why is this happening?” Arinna cradled the heart like an infant.

“This can’t be a normal feature to the app, right?” Mark says. “Because this just- doesn’t sound real.”

“More investigation is needed.” Shizuka determines. “Back to the chat.”

 

 **707:** Why are you all being so nice to me? This is so sudden…! My heart is fluttering!

 **Arinna:** We just wanted to show you how much we appreciate your hard work!

 **Nicole:** Yeah, today wasn’t bad. Everyone in the RFA seems nice so we wanted to make sure you all knew that

 **707:** What a nice group of people~ My heart was so surprised…!

 **Avelia:** Aww, cute. :)

 **Mark:** That’s us, charming and nice~

 **Shizuka:** More like weird and unapproachable

 **Arinna:** Are not.

**Yoosung has entered the chatroom**

**Zen has entered the chatroom**

**Yoosung:** Hi everyone!

 **Avelia:** Hi Yoosung!

 

Avelia paused, looking at his friends. With a shared nod towards him he began to type.

 

 **Avelia:** Yoosung I saw that you upgraded your sword! You really worked hard! I’m so impressed! It looks so COOL!

 

On cue a green heart fluttered out of the phone, gently landing in his hand. “Green must be for Yoosung!” Avelia says

“Do all his hearts come out so nicely? The ones I usually get body slam into my face.” Nicole frowned.

“Mine usually are very fast and try to escape. They will hit me in the face and if I am not fast enough they will hide away somewhere in the house,” Shizuka informed her.

 

 **Arinna:** Hi Zen! How was rehearsal?

 **Zen:** It went great! I’m happy to be home and have taken a shower though~ I can just feel my pores crying with joy. Beauty isn’t easy after all, except for me. * **Smirking Zen emoji***

 **Nicole:** Right…

 **Arinna:** Beautiful Zen!

 

Arinna laughed as a heart leaped out, circling her once before laying ontop of her head. She took it, smiling at the pretty white color. “White. Like Zen’s hair, so this must be his!” she says.

“It would make sense.” Mark nods. “Green for Yoosung, white for Zen, and red of 707. I’m pretty sure yellow is for Jaehee and purple must be for Jumin.”

Arinna blinked, then rushed to grab the jar of hearts she had already begun collecting. With no where else to put them she had been keeping the hearts there. She had gathered a few from the different members, most of them white, but there had been one color she had gotten that she hadn’t seen since.

“Then what is this one?” she lifted a mint green heart. “I got this the first day we got here when you guys were freaking over the apartment.”

“I haven’t seen any hearts like that before.” Nicole shrugs.

“We also haven’t seen V since then as well.” Shizuka analyzed. “We should assume for now it is from him.”

“Hah! I got a V heart and none of you guys did!” Arinna bragged.

“I don’t want a V heart.” Avelia shrugs.

“I don’t want _any_ hearts,” Shizuka grumbled.

“You say that, but I’m seeing quite a few _Red_ hearts sticking to your clothes.” Mark gestured up and down.

The small woman twisted and turned, scowling as the little nuisances scurried just out of reach each time. “How long have they been hiding there?!”

Nicole shook her head, blinking widely, “Oh I thought those were just part of your shirt.”

Shizuka leveled her with a blank look. “When, in all the time you have known me, have I ever worn a shirt with even one heart on it.”

Avelia leans down to whisper in her ear, “Gerald. He wears those.”

“My aliases have no part in this, leave them out of it,” she snapped back at him quietly.

Shrugging, they all looked back down at their phones.

 

**Jaehee has entered the chatroom**

**Mark:** Hi Jaehee!

 **Jaehee:** Mark, everyone, it is good to see you.

 **Mark:** You back home from work yet?

 **Jaehee:** Just walked through the front door, yes. I hope you all had a good day. Zen, I hope your practice went well and the musical is going good!

 **Mark:** Speaking of musicals, Jaehee! As thanks for that amazing picture you sent me (forever grateful) I compiled a playlist off all of the songs Zen has been involved in and sent you the link. I hope you enjoy it!

 **Jaehee: *Shocked emoji*** I.. do believe I had to fight back tears just now

 **Arinna:** Aww, Jaehee.

 

Mark smiled happily at the fluttering little yellow heart that flew up to rest on his shoulder.

 

 **Zen: *Winking emoji*** I’m glad to see you two appreciate my songs so much!

 **Zen:** Well hey, since I have all of you here, you should all come to my next performance.

 **Yoosung:** Oh, is that soon?

 **Zen:** Our run through is soon, and we need an audience. So the director said we could invite family and friends to see it first! It’s quite an honor for all of you, being able to see my beauty up close like that.

 **Shizuka:** I mean no offense from this Zen but perhaps you should invite someone else. We hardly know each other, I do not consider us anything close to ‘friends’ and certainly not family at this point.

 

From her words, a white heart began to materialize out of the screen. Shizuka stared at it dully, expecting it to be like every other time she had received such a thing.

“Even comments like that will earn their favor?” she frowned.

Reaching out to touch it they all jumped at the sound of a sickening _crack!_

The white heart suddenly broke down the middle, it’s color dulling before their very eyes.

A gasp came from their group but no one knew who exactly. All eyes could only look to Shizuka, petrified.

She stood still, holding the two shattered halves of the broken heart. Her hands trembled, eyes wide like she had just committed murder.

“What did you just do…??” Arinna shrieked, horrified.

“Zen…!!” Mark wailed

Fingers tapped against their screens in tandem, rushing to fix such a horrible mistake.

Shizuka was still frozen in place, only drawn back by the look in Mark’s eyes. She had never felt fear when faced with Mark’s anger, but in this one moment she could feel herself take a small step back

 

 **Jaehee:** That was very rude, Shizuka. Zen was simply offering a wonderful experience for you all to enjoy, even if we haven’t known each other long

 **Avelia:** Oh my gosh, Zen are you okay?!

 **Arinna:** She didn’t mean it!

 **Nicole:** You’re a pretty pretty man!! WE WOULD LOVE TO GO TO YOUR PLAYS!

 **Zen:** Huh?? Really…?

 **Mark:** ZEN! Don’t listen to that _witch_!!

 **Yoosung:** 0.0

 **Zen:** 0.0!!

 **Nicole:** Whoa now…. 0.0

 **Mark:** That heathen knows not of what she speaks!! You are a heavenly angel sent to grace mankind with your beauty! There is no shame to be had in sharing the gifts you possess!

 **Arinna:** Let’s calm down, Mark 0.0

**707: *shocked emoji***

**Mark:** I SHALL NOT BE CALMED!!!!!

 **Shizuka:** Zen, I apologize. That was rude of me. How you choose to live your life is up to you, and you are a high standard of beauty by societal standards, I would be honored to attend any number of your performances. Are you feeling alright? Any chest pain?

 **Zen:** I didn’t expect such a reaction from you Mark. Thanks for caring so much but really, it’s okay. You shouldn’t speak to anyone like that in front of ladies. If you have an issue you should pull Shizuka to the side and talk, man to man. You really caught me off guard. I’m fine- really…!

 **Shizuka:** …-_- I try to be nice…

 **Avelia:** Let’s just calm down, okay…? Shizuka didn’t mean it and Mark just got over protective. It’s okay.

 **Jaehee:** That was quite shocking… though I do agree to an extent with what Mark said.

 **Mark:** Thank you Jaehee, I appreciate the support.

 

The group shared a sigh of relief as the broken heart slowly pulled itself back together.

“Oh good.” Arinna patted it gently, quickly tucking the little heart under some blankets to keep it warm. The others hovered around, checking to see if it needed anything.

“So it’s okay, right? No lasting damage?” Nicole asked.

“Give it some room to breathe guys.” Avelia instructed. Though, he wasn’t even sure if these hearts could breathe.

“We will have to very careful with how we approach the RFA,” Shizuka hovered at the back worriedly. “I don’t want to know what would happen if this happened on a regular basis.”

“Move aside..!” Mark, who had run out of the room, came rushing back with some hot chocolate. He put it beside the heart for it to enjoy. “Here you go little buddy.”

“I don’t think it can drink that…” Arinna mumbled.

“Shh, just let him have this..” Avelia shakes his head.

Shizuka glanced away, uncomfortable. “I… apologize. I did not realize how hurtful my comment was. We should all be careful with what we say when it comes to negatives. I’m not sure what would happen if the hearts were to continue to break.”

Avelia frowned down at his phone. “Should we leave the chatroom? I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

Nicole bit her lip. “...I think it’ll be okay as long as we don’t say anything mean. This is the first time that happened after all, right?”

They all nodded.

Shizuka sighed. “While I am uncomfortable with the idea of repeating what just happened I do not think it is possible to simply stay off of the the messenger from now on. Not at this point. We can deduce the remaining colors, I’m sure, but solid evidence would be best..”

Their phones buzzed.

“Oh hey,” Nicole blinked. “It’s Jumin. I got this one guys.”

 

**Jumin has entered the chatroom**

**Nicole:** Hey Jumin! Your car should be ready to go first thing tomorrow morning. How is the beautiful, wonderful Elizabeth the Third this fine night?

 

A purple heart with what appeared to be a cat face on it shot from Nicole’s phone directly into her face like a bullet. The red-head let out a shriek as she toppled over.

“Welp,” Mark grinned down at her as she tried to rip the thing off from where it had stuck to her cheek, “looks like Jumin is definitely purple.”

“Why… is he so… violent…?” Nicole grumbled from the floor

“Maybe he’s just… super affectionate,” Avelia tried to defend the man.

“Aggressively affectionate.” Mark whispered.

 

 **Jumin:** Thank you for the update, Nicole. Tell me Zen, I am intrigued in your rehearsal.

 **Zen:** What? You are??

 **Jumin:** Yes. The director. He has also done other works, such as; The Aristocats. Oliver and Company. The Cat Returns. All about Cats. And my personal favorite, the Cat Queen: Elizabeth’s Revenge.

 **Jaehee:** -_-

 **Zen:** Ugh! Those are all cat related shows! I didn’t know my director did so many!!

 **Nicole:** That revenge one has me interested.

 **Mark:** I’d see it

 **Avelia:** Me too

 

Shizuka withheld her own opinion of the production as her friends each fell, one by one, to the purples hears that bombarded them, violently and without mercy.

“So… aggressive…” Mark groaned pitifully

Arinna covered her mouth, “Oh my…”

 

 **Arinna:** I’m good. I don’t want to see Elizabeth’s revenge please ;-; I prefer… happy movies of peace… and love.

 **Jumin:** understandable, though it is a production worth the watch.

 

Jumin’s reply went unnoticed, for Arinna had already fallen to the ground with a scream, two white hearts having smacked against her eyes with abrupt force.

Shizuka evaluated the situation. Her four comrades were down, leaving her alone. She didn’t like her odds and Luciel had been surprisingly quiet lately. Not a good sign. She needed to make up a quick excuse.

 

 **Shizuka:** It is getting late. Perhaps it is time we all head to bed. Going to bed early is good for your health and keeping your skin refreshed.

 **Zen:** Oh so you were listening to my pointers about skin care earlier! :D

 **707:** Or maybe she’s giving you pointers! Her skin is prettier than yours, lolololol

 **Shizuka:** …..

 

“Don’t do it.” she told herself. Her fingers twitched, circling the keys. “You’ll just end up like everyone else, defeated by hearts. Don’t do it.”

 

 **Zen:** Hey! That’s rude to my beautiful face! No other man can match my beauty! How do you even know what he looks like any way?

**707: *Blushing emoji***

**Zen: *Angry emoji***

**Yoosung:** Oh, wait! Seven, didn’t you say you had pictures of all of them? That’s probably how!

 **Zen:** Send the picture!

 **707:** lololololol

 **Jumin:** While I, too, would like to know what the others look like. We cannot simply demand they reveal themselves to us.

 **Jaehee:** Mr. Han are you not just saying that because you have already met one of them?

 **Zen:** How can you act all confident when you have only met one?? I want to see how adorable Arinna and Avelia are!

 **707:** Not the others?

 **Zen: *winky face*** You can keep the pictures of the guys.

 **Shizuka:**...Your self preservation instincts are almost worryingly low.

 **Avelia:** My anger burns like 1000!

 **Arinna:** What?

 **Avelia:** What what?

 **Arinna:** 1000 what? How did that sentence finish?

 **Avelia:** It’s just 1000. That is what it burns at

 **Mark:** Degrees?

 **Avelia:** No, just 1000

 **Nicole:** Dude, you’re in college

 **Avelia:** I am! What is your point? My anger is just at 1000

 **Mark:** You should have said it’s over 9,000

 **Avelia:** I will not stoop down to allow you a dragon ball reference.

 **Nicole:** But 1000 was better

 **Yoosung:** Maybe he meant, 1000 blades? Blades of vengeful fury!

 **Avelia:** yeah! See! Yoosung gets me! 1000 blades of vengeful fury, coming your way Zen!   
**Zen:** What…?? Why??

 **Shizuka:** Fascinating. I never thought I would ever meet someone on Avelia’s intellectual level.

 **Avelia:** Hey!!

 **Yoosung:** Hah well, then I’m heading to bed! Got a whole day of gaming planned for tomorrow! Night!

 **Avelia:** Night! Let’s play more tomorrow Yoosung! Go to bed early so you can wake up a bit early and play!

 **Yoosung:** Alright! :D * **Excited Yoosung Emoji***

 **Zen:** Hey wait, you still didn’t answer my question! Avelia, did I anger you

 **Avelia:** _1000_

 **Zen:** Why?? * **Crying Zen emoji***

 **Nicole:** Just a heads up for you man… It’s not just Avelia

 **Zen:** What?!

 **Shizuka:** _1000_

 **707:** lol

 **Zen:** Shizuka too?!

 **Jumin:** As much as I enjoy seeing this, we should all be heading to bed

 **Jaehee:** Yes, goodnight. Perhaps we can solve this tomorrow, Zen.

 **Mark:** Goodnight Jaehee! Goodnight Zen! I wish I could save you from them but… well, sleep as well as you can!

 **Jumin:** Sleep is important, so goodnight. Let us discuss more tomorrow about the limo, Nicole

 **Nicole:** Sure thing! See you everyone!

 **Zen:** Ugh… fine. Goodnight

 **Arinna:** Good night Zen!

**Nicole has left the chatroom**

**Avelia has left the chatroom**

**Mark has left the chatroom**

**Jumin has left the chatroom**

**Jaehee has left the chatroom**

**Yoosung has left the chatroom**

**Zen has left the chatroom**

**Arinna has left the chatroom**

**Shizuka:** It leaves such a large space once everyone leaves like that

 **707:** Hey… Hey Shizuka :)

 **Shizuka:** … I hesitate to ask. What?

 **707:** What is an astronaut’s favorite place on a computer?

 **Shizuka:** I would assume the main control unit, so that they can make sure that everything on their ship is running accordingly.

 **707:** Pfft. Nope~ Lol. It’s…… The space bar

 

Avelia leaned away from Shizuka when an odd, breathy sound escaped her throat. It almost sounded like… laughter?

He paled when her shoulders began to shake. Yes, it was definitely laughter. The apocalypse was among them.

 

 **Shizuka:** Lol

 

And yup, there we go. Shizuka falling out of her chair when a heart ricocheted off her forehead and beelined for the hallway.

“You weren’t kidding.” Nicole whistled, rolling onto her belly to watch it go, “That thing booked it out of here.”

Shizuka grumbled under her breath. She would find it later, they never ventured past the front door. For now she should finish her conversation so she could actually eat her food. The others had been stuffing their faces throughout the chat but she liked to focus on one thing at a time thank you very much.

 

 **Shizuka:** Right, well. I must send my companions off to bed. For they are small children who need constant supervision

 **707:** Hah, lol. Alright, talk to you tomorrow Shizuka. Make sure to get your own beauty sleep~

 **Shizuka:** Make sure to _actually_ sleep yourself, Luciel. Good night

 **707:** Kay~ Night!

**Shizuka has left the chatroom**

**707 has left the chatroom**

Nicole yawned widely. “We should really get to bed guys. I have to get to work early to get everything with Jumin’s car finalized.”

“Ohhhh, you should come look at the guest bed!” Arinna cried suddenly. “The sheets are as soft as silk!”

Shizuka shook her head, sitting down to finish her dinner. Her own plate had been relatively untouched so she ate as quickly as she could as they all trapezed down the hall to the bedroom. Clearly, Arinna had forgotten about the destruction of earlier.

“What happened to the bed?!” Avelia cried out.

Mark walked up behind him, resting a hand on his shoulder. “War Avelia. It changes people.”

“What?” Avelia blinked at him. Honestly, he loved his friends but they were so _weird_.

“I wouldn’t question it dude,” Nicole poked her head in. “That looks like a death scene, and you _know_ Shizuka didn’t leave all day.”

Avelia paused. That was a fair point, and it _would_ explain why Piggles was covered in feathers.

“Right. I guess we can all just build another pillow fort in the main room for tonight then.”

“Score!” Mark cheered, grabbing the pillows that were not horribly mangled off the floor and rushing out. The others scavenged for whatever else they could use and joined him back in the main room where Shizuka was now curled up on the chair she had apparently claimed with a cup of tea.

“Since we’re all here.” Arinna cuts in, “I’d like to talk about the drastic shift in power Shizuka seems to constantly have in our friendship system. It is absurdly OP.”

“I think we can all agree to that.” Nicole snorts, “But all our _power_ combined wouldn’t be enough to stop her.”

“Well not so fast ladies; Avelia included in that statement.” Mark wiggles his eyebrows.

“Screw you.” he grumbled.

Mark continues, “We’re giving up this fight too soon. All our forces combined is enough to knock Shizuka off her pedestal. Even she doesn’t have enough of a leech like grip to hold on forever.” together they slowly turned, looking towards their friend who sipped her tea quietly, listening.

“Is this a challenge of power then?” she inquired simply.

“Game of thrones just got real.” Arinna nodded. “We’re knocking you off that iron throne.”

“It’s more of oak wood, which is still a nice chair.” Avelia corrects.

“This is a group decision?” Shizuka lowered her cup. “Especially knowing that it is I, who is always appointed as the Wicked Witch of the West when we recreate our production of Wicked every summer?”

“Your rule is over!” Mark declared. “We will not stand for it anymore!” he flipped his bangs back. “The role of Elphaba will go to one of us.”

“Impossible.” she scoffed. “None of you can hit those high notes.”

“Nicole can!” Arinna declared

“Whoa now.” the mechanic held up her hands. “That is only when I am drunk and you know it.”

“You do tend to get into character a lot easier during those times.” Mark says

“Mark could have tried for it when he was going through puberty,” Avelia chimed in.

“Leave my adolescent days out of this!” the shorter male blushed a bright red.

“Then you’re all in agreement in this force against me. Overthrowing me will lead to your ruin, and you’ll lose the vital role of beloved Elphaba.”

“We can find a way!” Mark insists.

“Probably…” Nicole mumbled.

“Absolutely!” Arinna yelled.

Shizuka lifted her gaze towards the largest in the room, her eyes half-lidded. “And you Avelia? Are you truly throwing your years of loyalty out the window? All that I have taught you, traded for these… creatures?”

“Don’t listen to her, man! She’s trying to get in your head!” His friends chorused.

Avelia looked conflicted for all of three seconds before his gaze fell upon Piggles, napping in the corner of the room while covered in feathers and fabric. His gaze hardened and he turned back to the stalemate.

“Piggles above all else,” he reminded her, shoulders back and chin held high.

Shizuka clicked her tongue. With a small nod of her head, she set her teacup to the side and stood.

They all took a subconscious step back.

“Very well,” her voice was low. Palms flattening against the table she took a deep breath, readying herself. “To those who ground me…” They all gasped. Their love for the musical Wicked sparked the moment the words left her mouth, knowing she was about to begin her performance of _Defying Gravity._ A song none of them could go against.

Nicole couldn’t believe it; Shizuka _willingly_ breaking into song? Was she feeling sick or something?

“No…” Arinna shakes her head.

“Take a message back from me…”

“Don’t do it!” Mark extended out his arm.

As if winding up for the largest attack she could muster, Shizuka’s foot reached up to the table, stepping upward to stand above them all (except Avelia, that tall bastard). “Tell them how I am defying Gravity!”

“Nooo~!” Arinna cried pitifully.

“I’m flying high, defying gravity!! And soon I’ll match then in renown!” Shizuka sung, staring them down coldly.

“Hit the dirt!” Nicole cried, grabbing Avelia and pulling him down.

Shizuka’s voice lowered, almost back to a steady speaking tone and sending a shiver down their spines. “ And nobody, in all of OZ, no wizard that there is or was-” She gave a pointed look to a scowling Mark. “Is every gonna bring. Me. DOWN!!

“I hope you’re happy.” Nicole sings accusingly to the others, knowing this was a bad idea from the start

“Look at her, she’s wicked! GET HER!” Mark attempted to rally them once more.

“Bring me down!” Shizuka glared harshly when Mark stepped onto the table with her, leaning down so they were eye level.

“No one mourns the wicked!” he sung valiantly, taking Arinna’s hand to tug her up with him. “So we got to. Bring. Her. Down!” they declared the official war against Shizuka.   
Avelia, the singing voice of a dying fish, laid on the ground with pursed lips. “...Yeah.” he offered weakly at the end, pumping his fist. “Get that… darn witch.” he lowered his hand.

Shizuka sung a vocal masterpiece, letting her voice trail down and then reach its highest pitch as she sparta kicked him off the table, jumping so that she stood atop his fallen form victoriously. Arinna shimmied to the side to avoid the aftermath, her voice dying out as she slid of the table in a hurry.

Shizuka took a deep, steadying breath before turning her full attention to the others. Her cheeks had an almost unnoticeable rosy tint to them. “...Anyone else?”

Nicole popped her head over the table, squinting at the small woman suspiciously. “...Mark?”

There was a grunt from where his face was pushed into the floor.

“You didn’t happen to, oh, I don’t know… Put any alcohol in that Cannelloni did you?”

Avelia and Arinna gaped in shock when he began to chuckle.

He grinned impishly, the corner curls of his lips revealing to all of them exactly what he had done, “Maybe~”

“When has that dish ever required, of even suggested, the use of alcohol??” Avelia gawked at him. It was common knowledge to them by this point that a drunken, or even tipsy Shizuka was a caroling Shizuka. And she had little to no resistance to the drink...

He shrugs, shoulder blades shifting awkwardly under the weight of the miniature sized detective. “It was a chefs experiment. None of you even noticed the difference.”

“I’m not drunk,” Shizuka stated boldly, her tone far more uppity than it would be if she were definitely sober.

Arinna cooed, “Oh, sweet Shizuka. C’mere. Let’s go get you to bed.” she offered her hand.

Shizuka hissed, batting away the affectionate touch. “Keep your filth away heathen! You are a traitor!”

Mark stood easily, forcing her to jump off his back. With slow, peacekeeping movements he reached out and set the final piece of Cannelloni on her forgotten plate. Bowing his head he held it out in front of him, careful to keep his twitching grin from sight.

“Please, accept this peace offering. Let us return to happier times.”

Shizuka, the lightest of lightweights, sniffed hottily but accepted the tribute.

For the next 10 minutes they watched her eat, digest for a few seconds, blink, then fall asleep.

“She’s so cute when she’s angry.” Arinna smiles.

“Our definition of cute is very different.” Mark says, smiling nonetheless

Nicole snorted. “Her anger is only ever ‘cute’ when she’s drunk.”

Avelia sighed, exhaustion creeping in. “Why don’t we all just clean up and go to sleep for the night, okay? I think we’ve all had enough fun for one night.”

The three took stock of the mess around them and agreed. Cleaning up the plates was left to Arinna and Avelia while Nicole and Mark worked on the pillow fort. Luckily Shizuka weighed as much as a pillow to Mark so he could easily maneuver her around while they worked.

“Slumber party!” Arinna cried happily once they returned from the kitchen, diving in and curling up on Shizuka’s left. Nicole went on Arinna’s other side and Avelia next to her. Mark took the other side of Shizuka, making sure to have Piggles between them as a defense shield in case she woke up in the middle of the night.

Being the two on the end Avelia and Mark pulled up all the blankets to cover them.

After trading a handful of goodnights Avelia was out immediately, soon followed by Nicole. Mark was about to join them himself when he felt a tug on his sleeve. Cracking an eye open he saw Arinna reaching over Shizuka for him, her eyes wide and hopeful.

He smiled back. “Sorry Rinna,” he whispered. “Almost forgot.”

Debating on what lullaby to go with tonight he settled on “You’ll be in my heart”. That was one of her favorites.

Arinna drifted off with a peaceful smile, hugging Shizuka’s arm like a teddy bear. Mark watched her fondly, glancing over his friends sleeping forms.

He was really lucky to have them all.

With a warm heart he soon followed them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Friendships are a-blooming, Mark and Jaehee are a-fangirling, Zen feels threatened, and everyone just needs to go to bed cause this thing is too damn long.  
> In the next chapter: Everyone meets Mark because he refuses to go home. And we mean everyone. Is that V guy coming back? Like... ever? Nicole gets a peek into the rich life. Jumin is suave as heck (but does not at all understand how the common people's minds work because that is NOT AN APPROPRIATE GIFT JUMIN!). Arinna gets the joyride of her life. Zen is preparing for impending doom. Shizuka does some digging, and finds a mole named 707. 707 is a mole now. Mole-man. Avelia is in his own little world and Yoosung is invited. Jaehee meets a juggler who brightens her day. And she needs sleep. Like... stat.  
> If Saeran thinks you're crazy then you must be crazy crazy.

**Author's Note:**

> You get a general idea of pairings in the next chapter. 
> 
> Lots of craziness. Lots of fun. Lots of pickles. 
> 
> Zen might be a girl or something? What?


End file.
